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Recommends a change in the way mathematics is taught to engineers and scientists. Espouses a shift away from traditional methods to an approach that makes significant use of algebra packages. Suggests that teaching the language comprised of the notation and grammar of mathematics would be of more use and more accessible than focusing entirely on teaching mathematical techniques. (Contains 11 references.) (Author/NB)

Survey responses from 170 of 300 engineers working in Singapore revealed that significant variance in career satisfaction, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions was accounted for by professional plateau, the point at which individuals find their jobs unchallenging with few opportunities for professional development. (Contains 33 references.) (SK)

Presented as a conversation between a teacher and engineer about school design, addresses educators' preferences and engineers' perspectives on issues, such as windows, sustainable design, sinks, acoustics, and natural ventilation. (EV)

Suggests that today's engineering schools are not preparing their graduates as well as they might for useful practice in the 21st century. (Author/MM)

Phenomenographic analysis of observations and interviews of 18 Finnish engineers and product designers yielded six ways of learning: through doing work, through collegial interaction, through evaluation of work experiences, through taking on new tasks, through formal education, and through experiences outside work. (Contains 66 references.) (SK)

Interviews in two technology-intensive Finnish companies (banking and engineering) found that workplace learning was continuous and active. Learning stimuli and competence development differed in two settings. A more systematic, long-term approach to learning and acknowledgment of collective competence could improve the work environment as a learning environment. (Contains 16 references.) (SK)

Two questionnaires completed by 27 automobile design engineers and 15 project engineers identified a preference for visual learning. Computer-assisted design training and the daily work environment incorporated visual means such as diagrams, photos, flowcharts, videos, and demos. No significant differences between design and project engineers were found. (SK)

Describes technological developments in the British avionics industry that have engendered higher skill requirements. Discusses challenges of using National Vocational Qualifications in the industry. Reviews implications for employers, workers, and trainers. (SK)

A survey of 151 Italian scientists and engineers and case studies of a career development system for technical professionals revealed that career orientation (as measured by Schein's career anchors) is a useful predictor of career route preferences. (Author/JOW)

Seeks to elicit engineering students' concept images attached to key mathematical concepts using a questionnaire. Indicates that engineering and mathematics students do have different concept images, particularly that engineering students gradually adopt mathematical ideas into their engineering knowledge in a way that makes sense of them. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/ASK)

Defends the existence of a synergy between research and education, which requires the acceptance of two principles: (1) education of engineers as the creation of a pro-innovation attitude; and (2) research as an open-minded compromising attitude with progress of valuable knowledge. Argues that research-oriented centers are better-prepared to boost modern engineering skills and foster innovation attitudes. (Author/WRM)

Investigates how scientists, from both a practical and epistemological perspective, communicated the nature and relevance of their research to classroom teachers. Determines the congruence and/or dissimilarity in how scientists described their research to teachers and how they viewed their research epistemologically. Concludes that scientists from traditional content disciplines reflect a strong commitment and experimental design. (Contains 44 references.) (Author/YDS)

Analyzes data from the 1989 Survey of Doctorate Recipients to evaluate racial segmentation of the academic labor market along geographic and disciplinary lines. Finds that black faculty in the sciences and engineering are found disproportionately in southern, historically black institutions; areas with sizable black populations; and, independent of the black doctoral labor supply, in certain fields. (DB)

Investigates engineers' information-seeking practices based on case studies in two organizations. Results show engineers search for documents to find people, search for people to get documents, and interact socially to get information without engaging in explicit searches. Discusses the design task and how computer systems could support searches for people. (Author/LRW)

Engineers (n=146) who survived downsizing participated in a study of intrinsic motivation and effects of past downsizing and threat of future downsizing. Job motivation was a more powerful influence on job behavior than fear of downsizing. (SK)

Presents results of a campus survey that suggests that many male engineering students have negative attitudes toward women, are generally more confident about their success in engineering, and receive more support from peers and mentors than do women. (Contains 34 references.) (Author/WRM)

Explores the perceptions held by practicing engineers of what is involved in learning to solve technological problems and examines their pedagogical approaches to technological problem-solving in elementary-classroom contexts. Concludes that recognition of the nature of each occupation is needed to realize a potential of collaboration between engineers and elementary-school teachers in developing a pedagogy for technological problem solving. (Author/WRM)

A survey of scientists and engineers in research and educational institutions in India investigated the strengths and weaknesses of the existing system of administering research and development (R&D) projects. Topics addressed include proposal submission, peer review, project reporting, budgeting, interagency interaction, and project evaluation. (Author/MSE)

Cites reasons for concern about the standard measures of program quality in graduate study. Focuses on a report from the National Research Council (NRC) and proposes some alternative evaluation standards. (DDR)

Speculates about the future responsiveness of chemical engineering curricula to changes in the chemical industry. Focuses on changes in the chemical industry, the status of academia, and possible curricular changes. (DDR)

A nine-month field study of a software-engineering firm's work practices revealed that the group's collective use of time perpetuated its members'"time famine." A crisis mentality and rewards for individual heroics were responsible. Altering the way engineers used their time at work enhanced their collective productivity. (66 references) (MLH)

Trends in college faculty salaries in Australia since 1967 are examined, in real terms, for several academic ranks and in comparison with salaries of scientists, senior public service administrators and managers, and public service engineers. Faculty salary losses since a 1973 high are substantial, both over time and in comparison with other professionals. (MSE)

Discusses the foundations of engineering design and highlights the problems confronting students who are required to make creative input into a design problem. Describes a way to implement creativity in teaching engineering design. Contains 38 references. (DDR)

Traces the economic growth of embedded software in industrial products and explains that there is a shortage of engineers in this field. Proposes a different view of engineering education. (DDR)

Discussion of continuing professional development (CPD) in the United Kingdom explores the changing scene for professional engineers through an analysis of one professional institution's approach to CPD. Highlights include lifelong learning; a pilot project on the world Wide Web; and a mentoring initiative. (Author/LRW)

Investigates the mental models that people construct about magnetic phenomena. Involves students, physics teachers, engineers, and practitioners. Proposes five models following a progression from simple description to a field model. Contains 28 references. (DDR)

Surveys student and qualified engineers (N=189) in Bulgaria via a questionnaire. Results stress the importance of the need for women to work for economic reasons and the role of the communist system in emphasizing engineering and gender equity. Contains 26 references. (DDR)

Describes a series of surveys of elementary, secondary, and college students to discover reasons for a shortage of suitably educated engineers. Offers suggestions for encouraging young people to enter the engineering profession. (JOW)

Compares and contrasts the views of two people with interests in science education. Provides a stark and insightful contrast of the roles of scientists and engineers in precollege science education. Recommends that action be taken in addition to speeches made about the issue. (DDR)

Engineers need flexible delivery of up-to-date, relevant continuing education. At Deakin University (Australia), engineering distance-education strategies include the use of e-mail, videoconferencing, teletutorials, Internet-delivered courseware, and computer-assisted instruction. (SK)

The Participation Reasons Scale (PRS) was used with Army Engineers to study the effects that academic preparation, leadership and functional roles, and occupational specialty have on reasons for becoming involved in training and education. Five general factors were identified: professional improvement and development, personal security, enhancing service to customers, professional identity, and engineer competence. (JAK)

Survey results from 302 of 400 Army engineers found that age, career stage, rank, years as an engineer, and educational preparation did not influence participation in civilian continuing education. The strong organizational culture of the Army tended to mandate continuing education and homogenize motivation. (SK)

Analysis of 600 work diaries from engineers who graduated 1979-90 found the following: 35% had cooperative education experience; only 33% worked for their co-op employer; co-op graduates entered work at the same level and were promoted at the same pace as others, except those with no prior career-related experience; and co-op graduates had an early salary advantage. (SK)

Data from 158 part-time graduate students employed full time and 160 aerospace engineers were used to test a model of organizational commitment. Contrary to expectations, the three components of commitment (affective, normative, continuance) differed in their effects on intention to quit. Affective commitment had a significantly stronger correlation with turnover intentions. (SK)

Visual reasoning is an essential skill for engineers. This article describes an interactive multimedia application (Visual Reasoning Tutor) that provides a foundation in visual reasoning by exploiting the missing view problem. Presents an overview of system components, a complete sample exercise, and test results for several prototypes used in classrooms. (PEN)

Japanese (n=94) and U.S. (n=340) aerospace scientists/engineers described time spent communicating information, collaborative writing, importance of technical communication courses, and the use of libraries, computer networks, and technical reports. Japanese respondents had greater language fluency; U.S. respondents spent more time with written/oral communication, collaborative writing, and computer use. (SK)

Describes a systematic approach to selecting instructional designs, discussing performance analysis, gaps, elements (inputs, conditions, process, outputs, consequences, feedback), matrices, changes in performance state (establishing, improving, maintaining, and extinguishing performance), intervention interference, and involving others in intervention. Includes an interventions selection worksheet for improving oral presentations by engineers and construction professionals. (PEN)

Interviews with 20 engineers revealed that their approach to technological problem-solving bore little resemblance to the model of "problem-solving through technology" in the Alberta elementary science curriculum. Engineers emphasized the importance of context and previous experience in making decisions about each unique situation, whereas the school program suggests a sequence to be used in all contexts. (SV)

Engineers and research scientists at Statoil's Research Center in Trondheim, Norway were interviewed to determine information-seeking patterns. Eight characteristics were identified: surveying, chaining, monitoring, browsing, distinguishing, filtering, extracting, and ending. The results showed that although there were differences in the features of information seeking patterns of research scientists and engineers, the behavioral characteristics were similar. (PEN)