Experiential Learning in Engineering Practice
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 135, Issue 1
Abstract
The American Society of Civil Engineers is asserting an increasingly broad and deep body of knowledge (BOK) that reflects contemporary expectations for professional leadership. The BOK is to be fulfilled with a combination of formal education and practical experience. The formal education part includes renewed emphasis on an integrated base of liberal learning, greater technical breadth, specific professional preparation, and mastery of a specialization. Important elements of cognitive development are “assigned” to prelicensure experience. Among these are several learning outcomes critical to realizing the announced vision of the professional for the current century. The current system of prelicensure experience is inadequate and will not perform without structural change. The shortfall lies in the arrangements for fulfilling and validating specific learning outcomes beyond the university. The status quo in engineering is reviewed and compared with other professions. A model program is sketched in terms of specifications and some suggested actions.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The writers are grateful to Lauren Cecere for research assistance; and to our colleagues on the ASCE staff and its Body of Knowledge Second Edition Committee and the Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice for numerous significant discussions.
References
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). (2007). “Official website of American Council of Engineering companies.” ⟨http://www.acec.org⟩ (Feb. 23, 2007).
ASCE. (2004). “Civil engineering body of knowledge for the 21st century: Preparing the civil engineer for the future.” Rep., Body of Knowledge Committee of the Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice, ASCE, Reston, Va.
ASCE. (2006). “The vision for civil engineering in 2025: Based on the summit on the future of civil engineering.” Rep. to Task Committee to Plan a Summit on The Future of the Civil Engineering Profession, Reston, Va.
ASCE. (2007a). “ASCE continuing education-CPC information.” ⟨http://www.asce.org/conted⟩ (Feb. 17, 2007).
ASCE. (2007b). “ASCE policy statement 465—Academic prerequisites for licensure and professional practice.” ⟨http://www.asce.org/pressroom/news/policy_details.cfm?hdlid=15⟩ (Feb. 21, 2007).
ASCE. (2008). Civil engineering body of knowledge for the 21st century: Preparing the civil engineer for the future, 2nd Ed., Body of Knowledge Committee of the Committee on Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice, Reston, Va.
Bellah, R. N., Madsen, R., Tipton, S. M., Sullivan, W. M., and Swidler, A. (1992). “The good society.” Vintage, Vintage, New York, 5.
Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., and Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain, Longman, New York.
Evans, J., Lynch, D., and Lange, D. (2007). “The role of humanities and social sciences in the civil engineering body of knowledge.” Proc., ASEE Ann. Conf. and Exposition, Honolulu, ⟨http://asee.org/conferences/v2search.cfm⟩ (Feb. 10, 2007).
Freidson, E. (1994). Professionalism reborn: Theory, prophecy, and policy, of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Freidson, E. (1999). “Professionalism and institutional ethics.” The American medical ethics revolution, R. Baker, A. Caplan, L. Emanuel, and S. Latham, eds., Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 124–143.
Freidson, E. (2001). Professionalism: The third logic, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Hanus, J., and Russell, J. (2007). “Integrating the development of teamwork, diversity, leadership, and communication skill development into a capstone design course.” Proc. ASEE, Ann Conf. and Exposition, Honolulu, ⟨http://asee.org/conferences/v2search.cfm⟩ (Jan. 14, 2007).
Kelly, W. E. (2007). “Certification and accreditation in civil engineering.” J. Profl. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 133(3), 181–187.
Krause, E. A. (1996). Death of the guilds. Professions, states, and the advance of capitalism, 1930 to the present, Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.
Lynch, D. R. (2004). “A human rights challenge to the engineering profession: Ethical dimensions and leadership opportunities in professional formation.” Proc., ASEE 2004 Ann. Conf. and Exposition, Salt Lake City.
Lynch, D. R. (2005). “Toward a social theory of professions.” Professions and the Common Good, D. R Lynch, guest ed., Current Issues in Catholic Higher Education, 25(1), 5–24.
Lynch, D., Kelly, W., Jha, M., and Harichandran, R. (2007). “Implementing sustainability in the engineering curriculum: Realizing the ASCE body of knowledge.” Proc. ASEE Ann. Conf. and Exposition, Honolulu, ⟨http://asee.org/conferences/v2search.cfm⟩ (Feb. 21, 2007).
May, W. F. (2001). “Beleaguered rulers: The public obligation of the professional.” Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Ky., 286.
National Academy of Engineering (NAE). (2004). The engineer of 2020: Visions of engineering in the new century, National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.
National Academy of Engineering (NAE). (2005). Educating the engineer of 2020: Visions of engineering in the new century, National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). (2007). “Intern development program.” ⟨http://www.ncarb.org/idp/index.html⟩ (Jan. 25, 2007).
National Council of Examiner for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). (2003). “Report of the engineering licensure qualifications task force (ELQTF).” Rep., NCEES, Clemson, S.C.
National Council of Examiner for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). (2006). “Model law structural engineer.” ⟨http://www.ncees.org/introduction/about_ncees/ncees_model_rules.pdf⟩ (Feb. 25, 2007).
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). (2007). “Demonstrating qualifying engineering experience for licensure.” ⟨http://www.nspe.org/lc1-exper.asp⟩ (Feb. 27, 2007).
Professional Development Hours (PDH). (2007). “Official website of Professional Development Hours.” (PDHonline.org), ⟨http://www.pdhonline.org⟩ (Feb. 7, 2007).
Registered Continued Education Providers Program (RCEP). (2007). “Official website of registered continued education providers program.” ⟨http://www.rcep.net/rcep⟩ (Feb. 17, 2007).
Russell, J., Galloway, G., Lenox, T., and O’Brien, J. (2007). “ASCE policy 465—The means for realizing the aspirational visions of civil engineering in 2025.” Proc. ASEE Ann. Conf., Honolulu, ⟨http://asee.org/conferences/v2search.cfm⟩ (Feb. 7, 2007).
Simon, Y. A. (1962). General theory of authority, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, Ind.
Vest, C. M. (2006). “Educating engineers for 2020 and beyond.” The Bridge, 36(2), 39–44.
Wallace, B. (2005). “Becoming part of the solution: The engineer’s guide to sustainable development.” ACEC (CD-ROM), ACEC, Washington, D.C.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 135 • Issue 1 • January 2009
Pages: 31 - 39
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 6, 2007
Accepted: Nov 7, 2007
Published online: Jan 1, 2009
Published in print: Jan 2009
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.