Large-scale student projects - Problematic or preparatory for careers in engineering management?

Charles W.N. Thompson

Large-scale student projects - Problematic or preparatory for careers in engineering management?

Charles W.N. Thompson^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Long before Sputnik pushed engineering schools into liberal science priorities, engineering (and business) curricula used individual and small group projects as a vehicle for teaching the disciplinary syllabus (and preparing students for the world of work where both engineering and management positions would require skills above and beyond basic technical education). In recent years, the insistence of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) on real world projects and industry's growing dependence on project teams (as distinguished from functional organizations) has reinforced the practice of using real (as distinguished from laboratory) projects. Large-scale student real world projects are far less common than individual or small group projects. The reasons for this may include the large cost in instructor's time, the difficulty in recruiting clients, and the difficulty in evaluating student groups. The experience of the author and of others will be drawn upon to examine these reasons and other advantages and disadvantages.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change
Subtitle of host publication	Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006
Pages	327-334
Number of pages	8
State	Published - Dec 1 2006
Event	27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006 - Huntsville, AL, United States Duration: Oct 25 2006 → Oct 28 2006

Publication series

Name	27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006

Other

Other	27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006
Country/Territory	United States
City	Huntsville, AL
Period	10/25/06 → 10/28/06

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Cite this

Thompson, C. W. N. (2006). Large-scale student projects - Problematic or preparatory for careers in engineering management? In 27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006 (pp. 327-334). (27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006).

Thompson, Charles W.N. / Large-scale student projects - Problematic or preparatory for careers in engineering management?. 27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006. 2006. pp. 327-334 (27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006).

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title = "Large-scale student projects - Problematic or preparatory for careers in engineering management?",

abstract = "Long before Sputnik pushed engineering schools into liberal science priorities, engineering (and business) curricula used individual and small group projects as a vehicle for teaching the disciplinary syllabus (and preparing students for the world of work where both engineering and management positions would require skills above and beyond basic technical education). In recent years, the insistence of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) on real world projects and industry's growing dependence on project teams (as distinguished from functional organizations) has reinforced the practice of using real (as distinguished from laboratory) projects. Large-scale student real world projects are far less common than individual or small group projects. The reasons for this may include the large cost in instructor's time, the difficulty in recruiting clients, and the difficulty in evaluating student groups. The experience of the author and of others will be drawn upon to examine these reasons and other advantages and disadvantages.",

author = "Thompson, {Charles W.N.}",

year = "2006",

month = dec,

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language = "English (US)",

isbn = "9781604237146",

series = "27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006",

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booktitle = "27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change",

note = "27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006 ; Conference date: 25-10-2006 Through 28-10-2006",

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Thompson, CWN 2006, Large-scale student projects - Problematic or preparatory for careers in engineering management? in 27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006. 27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006, pp. 327-334, 27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006, Huntsville, AL, United States, 10/25/06.

Large-scale student projects - Problematic or preparatory for careers in engineering management? / Thompson, Charles W.N.
27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006. 2006. p. 327-334 (27th Annual National Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2006 - Managing Change: Managing People and Technology in a Rapidly Changing World, ASEM 2006).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution