Title: Quality in engineering education

Authors: Prof. John J. Sparkes

Addresses: Faculty of Technology, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, England, UK

Abstract: A number of factors which can affect the quality of engineering education are considered. These include (a) the importance of specifying clear educational goals, since there are many valid kinds of engineering education; (b) matching the educational methods used to these specified goals; (c) matching the assessment methods adopted to these goals; (d) the balance between |content| and |process| in the educational programs offered; (e) the problem of overloading the curriculum; (f) the use of information technology in the educational process, and (g) the application of modern methods of quality assurance in university education. The findings of significant recent research into how students learn are brought to bear on these issues.

Keywords: skills; knowledge; understanding; conceptual learning; comprehension; attitudes; values; quality assurance; distance education; mission statements; engineering education; university education; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.1990.030345

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 1990 Vol.1 No.1, pp.18 - 32

Published online: 15 Dec 2009 *

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