“Leadership for America and the Global Community”1 “Competing in a Diverse World: Diversity in Learning from an HBCU Perspective” A Presentation to 2004 ABET Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee By James H. Johnson, Jr., Dean College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Sciences Howard University Washington, DC October 28, 2004

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”2 University History  March 2, 1867 chartered by an act of Congress  First Congressional Society of Washington  Original departments  Normal and preparatory, collegiate, medical, law and agriculture  First students were four daughters of two of the University founders

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”3 University History  What should be the thrust of a Howard education?  Booker T. Washington – crafts, agriculture and survival type skills  W. E. B. Dubois – education of the “Talented Tenth”

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”4 University Mission … comprehensive, research-oriented… … provide an educational experience of exceptional quality at reasonable price … for African American men and women and other historically disenfranchised groups

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”5 University Vision … to become an increasingly powerful and information technology rich setting … to lead (and produce leaders) in the 21 st century.

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”6 New Carnegie Classification Schema  Only Doctoral /Research Extensive university serving a predominantly African American population in the nation.  "...a wide range of baccalaureate programs and...committed to graduate education through the doctorate. … award 50 or more doctoral degrees per year in at least 15 disciplines."

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”7 University Statistics  12 schools and colleges  167 programs of study  ~11,250 students  35% male & 65% female  46 states & D.C  85% African American  11% non-resident alien

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”8 Recent Rankings  2004 U.S. News & World Report  Ranked 90 of the top 248 doctoral universities in the country  Ranked 24 of Great Schools at Great Prices  2004 Princeton Review  Student newspaper listed as “Best Campus Paper”  Largest resident producers of African American Ph.D.s

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”9 Student Honors  71 National Achievement Scholars  Highest number for any American college or university  Two Rhodes Scholars within the past four years  Marianna Ofusu - classics  Carla J. Peters – history/environmental science

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”10 College of Engineering, Architecture & Computer Sciences

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”11 CEACS History  1908 – first E&A courses offered  1911 – 4 year programs in C.E., E.E., and M.E. offered  In 1930’s University threatened to close the programs  Dean Downing wrote - “No person of reasonable intelligence and judgment can discount the work of the engineer and architect in present-day civilization…the work of the scientist can mean little if it cannot be molded into a utility whether practical or artistic. This is the business of the engineer or architect…"

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”12 CEACS Programs  Architecture - BS  Chemical Engineering - BS, MS, IA  Civil Engineering – BS, ME  Electrical & Computer Engineering – BS, ME, PhD, IM  Mechanical Engineering – BS, ME, PhD, IA, IM  Systems & Computer Science – BS, MCS Atmospheric Science = IA Materials Science = IM

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”13 CEACS Vision Statement “… a recognized leader in the creation of learning environments conducive to the solution of problems that transcend the boundaries of discipline and profession.”

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”14 CEACS  Core Student Competencies  Analytical skills  Teamwork  Communication skills  Oral  Written  Leadership  Business acumen

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”15 CEACS Approaches to Diversity  Programs to increase the number of women  Educational practices to encourage diversity  Outreach Activities

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”16 Educational Practices: Today  Typical classroom learning w/ labs  Industry Participation  Research Experience for Undergraduates

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”17 Educational Practices: Today  Industry Participation  CEACS Motto: “We Give Our Students the World by Design”  Corporate Team Adoption Program  1 st year activity  Capstone Design Course  Final year design

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”18 Educational Practices: Tomorrow  Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education  Scholarship on Learning Engineering  Scholarship on Teaching Engineering  Institute for Scholarship on Engineering Education

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”19 Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education  Collaboration on four campuses  U. of Washington  Stanford University  Howard University  Colorado School of Mines  Funded by National Science Foundation  Engineering Education & Centers Division  Division of Undergraduate Education

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”20 Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education Examine… …from the student’s perspective …variance across populations and institutions (e.g., gender, ethnicity, geographic location) …misalignments between student learning and workplace needs

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”21 Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education Workplace Education Identity Skills

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”22 CAEE: Multiple Research Methods ETHNOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS FORMAL INTERVIEWS SURVEY ETHNOGRAPHIC INTERVIEWS

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”23 CAEE: Research Questions SKILLS  How do students’ engineering skills and knowledge develop and/or change over time?  How do engineering students’ technological skills compare with those of professionals?  What are the difficult concepts?

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”24 CAEE: Research Questions IDENTITY How do students come to identify themselves as engineers? How does a student’s APPRECIATION, CONFIDENCE &, COMMITMENT to engineering change as they navigate their education?

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”25 CAEE: Research Questions EDUCATION What elements of students’ engineering educations contribute to changes observed in skill and identity development? What do students find difficult and how do they deal with the difficulties they face?

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”26 CAEE: Research Questions WORKPLACE What skills do early career engineers need as they enter the workplace? Where did they obtain these skills? Are there any missing skills?

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”27 Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education  Expected Outcomes  Understand the special issues affecting students learning  Identify the environmental and pedagogical needs of students  Develop a cadre of faculty who are champions for research and implementation of engineering education teaching and learning tools

“Leadership for America and the Global Community”28 Thank you! Questions?