Write an essay on your “Process for Becoming a “World-Class” Engineering Student.”
One potential definition for engineering is “the design of products or processes to meet
desired needs.” In engineering education, most of the focus is on designing products.
Through this project you will instead design a process per the title at the top of these
instructions. The text Studying Engineering will be a valuable resource in this design
project as well as past homework assignments completed during the semester.
Task:
For at least 90% of the following items, develop a response that will indicate:
a. Where a “world-class” engineering student would want to be on each item
b. Where you are currently on each item
c. What you need to do to maintain your success or move from where you are to
where you would need to be to become a “world-class” engineering student
Essentially ask these three questions (a, b, and c) for each item below.
Items:
1. Provide a response to someone who asks the question: “Exactly what does an
engineer do in their work?” Include in your response why you have set the goal of
graduating with an engineering degree and its positive outcomes.
2. Do a good job of managing various aspects of your personal/social life including
interactions with family and friends, personal finances, outside work, commuting,
health and wellness.
3. Become effective at getting what you want and need from the educational system
by utilizing campus resources (such as advising, tutoring, job placement services,
health center, etc).
4. Understand teaching styles and learning styles and how to make the
teaching/learning process work for you. Include discussion of the interaction
between yourself as a student and the professor, teaching assistants, or tutors.
5. Change your attitudes to those appropriate to success in math/science/engineering
coursework. Among those that are candidates for change are:
a. Low self-confidence or overconfidence
b. Reluctance to seek help
c. Resistance to change, grow, develop, improve
d. Tendency to procrastinate
e. Avoidance behavior (avoid difficult or unpleasant tasks)
f. Reluctance to study with other students
g. Negative view toward authority figures
6. Develop skills for career success through experiences and activities that will
appear on a resume for internship and job applications. Prepare for brief
introduction at the job fair or more formal all-day interview.
7. Understand the principles of teamwork, leadership and dynamics of
communicating and interacting with people who have different Keirsey
Temperaments or Myers-Briggs Personality Types. Develop skills to be an
effective team member or leader in extra-curricular activities; Develop a plan to
utilize your own personality type most effectively.
8. Develop a high sense of personal and professional integrity and ethical behavior.
9. Be prepared with flexible plans that have multiple avenues to successful
graduation. (i.e. How to deal with adversity when it arises?)
10.Manage your time and tasks effectively which are appropriate to success in
math/science/ engineering coursework to include at least:
a. Devoting adequate time to studying
b. Adopting the principle that you master the material presented in one class
before the next class comes
c. Make effective use of your peers through sharing information and group study;
build productive relationships for college and beyond
d. Make effective use of your professors both inside and outside of the classroom
e. Prepare for lectures by reading ahead, attempting a few problems, formulating
a few questions
f. Other behaviors identified by you
Deliverable:
Respond to the tasks in a 7-10 page report with 12 point font size, 1.5 line spacing,
and 1 inch margins. A report template with title, space for name, and section headings
is provided. Reports may contain proper bibliographic citation of brief verbatim
passages from the textbook or other external sources. Improper citation
(i.e. plagiarism) will receive zero credit.
Additionally, break up the report into organized sections appropriate for the items
listed above. Include both an Introduction for why you are composing this report
(besides “it is required”) as well as a Summary that is a closing statement of the
beneficial outcomes of the course content (not a repeat of the same statements). The
sections between Introduction and Summary (~80%) should be your own
interpretation and analysis of the items above.
