The Complications Of Designing An Engineering / Architecture Curriculum

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Engineers and Architects are universally regarded as premier professionals, those that which possesses relevant knowledge, creates new knowledge, and have the capacity for its application. And the quality of these attributes has become determinants of the strength of a nation, and agents for change and development. But how do we train our future engineers and architects? Are they up for such tremendous challenges in an environment that is constantly changing? Can they adapt to a dynamic system that is not only confronted with technological advances but also with unstable national socio-economic and political issues? Here are some dilemmas for engineering and architecture educators in the Philippines:

Skills-based or Theory-based? Lately, a proposal came out for a ladderized curriculum for engineering education. This means infusing many technical skills competency subjects that can warrant a student some job even during his/her early stages in college. It is said that this scheme will address the demands of skilled workers in the country in the technical and technological field. Yes, this is a valid national concern, but, it has also been said that engineers and architects are supposed to be professionals with special analytical, innovative and creative problem-solving skills, a quality which can only be strengthened by a good foundation of scientific and mathematical theories. At the same time, this is still the competency reference for the test questions given in state examinations for engineers and architects. They do not ask how to assemble a pipe network, but instead, how to design pipes and pipe networks.

Present Needs or Future Needs? Present needs might actually mean producing engineering and architecture...

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...eholders of the field. Each higher educational institution will then have the flexibility of adding more subjects as deemed needed for the realization of their own institutional objectives and to cater to the needs of their particular students. It has become a real challenge for institutions offering engineering and architecture – two highly technical disciplines with demanding responsibilities, serving not only human endeavors, but also national concerns in a global perspective. In the end, it must be added, that no matter how well we can design a curriculum, what will matter more will be in the implementation, which include quality of faculty instruction and features of the school's infrastructure and facilities. And most of the times even with a not-so-perfect curriculum, an implementation of programs with mere passion for academic excellence will do the trick.

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