Lee Iverson: Teaching

I believe that an undergraduate engineering degree serves two purposes in the modern world: the preparation and then the professionalization of engineers. Traditionally, this preparation includes basic sciences and mathematics and then a specialization for some branch of engineering practice, such as computer engineering. The key is how to interpret this specialization. I consider it a mistake to think in terms of teaching technology in a modern undergraduate program, since most technologies (and especially computer technologies) have a significantly shorter lifespan than an engineering career. Instead, it seems that the proper approach is to concentrate on the background to technologies and a great deal of experience in learning and applying technology as required by the problem, since this is how good engineers actually work. Moreover, it seems that the kind of students attracted to engineering learn by doing, so I like to concentrate effort in my courses on hands-on learning approaches augmented by theory.

Another of the primary goals of an undergraduate engineering education is professionalization as an engineer. To this end, I insist that project reports be prepared as engineering reports as if they were to be submitted to a superior or project leader. The primary goal of such a report is to communicate to colleagues and those picking up a project after you all of the background they will need to continue the project efficiently. The implications of this goal are outlined in my Project Reports document.

Unlike an undergraduate program, which is primarily preparation for practice, I see graduate programs as preparation for extending technology. This has a lot of different implications, but the main one is that we do need to teach technology, and in considerable depth. So graduate courses should really be about leading edge technology and should concentrate on understanding that technology in context, so that one can analyze it and begin to appreciate how it needs to be extended and improved to achieve its goals (no technology is every 100% successful, especially if it is successful enough to find uses beyond its original design goals).