Teaching engineering management in a flexible learning environment

Teaching engineering management in a flexible learning environment

The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) has a very distinctive educational offering especially with respect to learning modes. Along with the traditional on campus mode it has external and on line modes of learning. The Faculty of Engineering and Surveying mirrors these offerings. Furthermore its zero departmental structure allows significant cross teaching within its four disciplines of agricultural, civil and environmental (ACE), electrical, electronic and computer (EEC), mechanical and mechatronic (MM) and surveying and land information (SLI). No more is this evident than in the teaching of engineering management and communication studies. According to the Institution of Engineers Australia guidelines 10% of all programs must cover this area of study. This paper focuses specifically on the course ENG3003 Engineering Management. It describes how this course began and continues to evolve as well as the factors that have influenced this evolution. A short survey of different University engineering programs with respect to their management and communication content is made. USQ programs are placed at the higher end of the survey. Speculation is made on ENG3003's future. Being created in and for a flexible learning environment allows this course to develop many possible modes of offering depending on student demand as well as adding supplementary material to incorporate international students. Further development for a course work masters offering of an advanced engineering management course is being considered. The engineering profession has learnt that being flexible and adapting to change is the key to success in the 21st century and ENG3003 is no exception

©2004 Australasian Association for Engineering Education.