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A major challenge in engineering education is to prepare professionals for communicating well in writing and speaking, using appropriate technologies, within professional contexts. Communication in the global engineering world includes collaboration on cross-functional teams, virtual-project team management, and writing for multiple, complex audiences. This tutorial discusses how one small engineering school has integrated technical communication teaching and assessment throughout the curriculum with demonstrated success. The integrated curriculum, formative and summative assessments, and real-world contexts offer one model to address growing communication challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the efficacy of using freshman student scores from one non-technical assignment to predict academic success as measured by cumulative grade point average after completion of the first two semesters enrolled at the Mercer University School of Engineering. The predictor assignment is keeping a dialectic course notebook and corresponds to the student's attitude, persistence, and organizational skills rather than math and science preparedness. Statistical analysis, at the 99 percent confidence level, indicated that there was a strong relationship between the student notebook scores and grade point average. Although there was scatter in the data, this one variable does provide insight into student success in the Mercer University Engineering program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]