Breaking down the walls - An introductory course in engineering and architecture

Abstract

Engineers and architects employ their technical abilities, innovative approaches, and problem solving skills to devise products and services that support human needs and contribute to the progress of civilizations. Designing and building in the real world require the collaborative input of several specialists from different disciplines; however, engineering and architecture curricula do not necessarily emphasize multidisciplinary education. To mirror the needs of the job market, university education should focus on training students to work in a multidisciplinary environment and develop a holistic view of engineering practices that their future jobs would demand. This study presents a new course aimed at engaging first year engineering and architecture students in a multidisciplinary environment, which inspires students' creativity in problem solving and engineering design. This paper presents different teaching methods for achieving various learning objectives, analyzing students' satisfaction, and highlighting lessons learned from delivering a novel course to engineering and architecture students. Results showed that students were attracted to learning about other disciplines, appreciated the multidisciplinary aspect of engineering, and were interested in acquiring professional engineering skills. Thus, the course was successful in creating a smooth transition between high school and university in helping students lay out the tracks for further development of their engineering skills. © 2017 TEMPUS Publications.