What is the Future of Technical Engineering Graphics Education? A Survey of Graphic Professionals Focused on the Emerging Themes of Technical/Engineering Graphics Education in the United States

Professional Development;Distance Education;Technology Education;Graphics Communications

Downs, Brian ; Terri E. Varnado, Committee Member,Alice Y. Scales , Committee Member,Aaron C. Clark, Committee Chair,Downs, Brian ; Terri E. Varnado ; Committee Member ; Alice Y. Scales ; Committee Member ; Aaron C. Clark ; Committee Chair

University:North Carolina State University

关键词: Professional Development;    Distance Education;    Technology Education;    Graphics Communications;   

Others  :  https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.16/797/etd.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: null

【 摘 要 】

This research explored emergent trends in technical/engineering graphics education as prior research suggested that changes had occurred in the instructional topics and practices of the field. Prior research also showed that instructors wondered if the same topics were taught by graphics professionals as a part of their curriculum at other institutions. The areas researched in this study were: course offerings, student populations, professional development, technical/engineering graphics education, and future research. The study sample of fifty-six (N=56) graphics education instructors was selected from Engineering Design Graphics Division (EDGD) members that were listed in the 2007-2008 membership directory, provided a valid email address to American Society for Engineering Educators (ASEE), had achieved at least a Bachelor’s degree, and taught at least one graphics course a year. The EDGD members were contacted via email and responses were collected by an online survey instrument. Overall, the results were checked for invalid responses, compiled, and then compared to the results of previous research from 1998 and 2004. The results of this study showed a decline in the instruction of: GD&T, manual instruments, 2-D CAD, 3-D modeling, and CAM. The results indicated no change in 3-D constraint-based modeling instruction, but an increase in the instruction of animation. A decline in female students enrolled in technical/engineering graphics courses was also reported; however, an increase was reported in ethic minority students enrolled in the same courses. The results indicated a decline in the number of educational institutions that offered technical/engineering graphics as a major degree, but an increase in institutions that offered a minor in the same field. Furthermore, the results indicated that as time progressed and technology advanced, the topics taught within technical/engineering graphics courses shifted from traditional topics and to new emergent topics. Common concerns of respondents were difficulties remaining up-to-date with changes within the field and the preparedness of incoming students to the field. Possible future trends identified in this study were all software related and included: an increased emphasis on 3-D CAD, the increased instruction of animation, and a migration to online and distance education from traditional classroom instruction. The field of technical/engineering graphics education appeared to be strong and had adapted to industrial advancements and curriculum changes.