Title: Philosophy and Undergraduate Teaching and Learning: Thoughts and Perspectives for Engineering Education
Abstract:Abstract Philosophy in the Undergraduate CurriculumDuring the last six years there has been growing interest in the development of a philosophyof engineering and a philosophy of engineering education ...Abstract Philosophy in the Undergraduate CurriculumDuring the last six years there has been growing interest in the development of a philosophyof engineering and a philosophy of engineering education as distinct from a philosophy ofscience education. There have been several international workshops and a number of paperson these topics have been presented at the ASEE and Frontiers in Education (FIE)conferences. Those concerned with the philosophy of education have focussed primarily onthe contribution that philosophy can make to the design of the curriculum and the use of thephilosophical method in the study of engineering. Most of these discussions have beenengineering-centric and taken place in the absence of any discussion of the more general aimsof higher education. the purpose of this paper is to consider the role that philosophy mightplay in the achievement of the goals of higher education as expressed by such authorities asJohn Henry Newman. It is argued that a link between engineering education and these moregeneral goals is to be found in the views of the Scottish philosopher John Macmurray on therelationships between theory, practice and action as expressed in his Gifford Lectures on“The Self as Agent” and “Persons in Relations.” Consideration is given to problems ofteaching and learning philosophy at this level.Read More