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Office of External Relations, Faculty of Engineering, National University
Project Details
A. Brief Description of Project
Nowadays, Engineering became very important in the society; hence our project came to study current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have, the methods of promoting engineering and attracting students. Our project deals with the main current situation of engineering and the suggestions to change the present situation. In order to achieve this objective, several steps were carried out. First of all, come out with some survey questions and extended the survey forms to the students in JCs as well as the students from secondary schools. Then a number a data was collected and analyzed and we also give some short commons for each diagram and group of data. This analysis gave us an indication of the current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have. After the analysis of the completed survey forms we received, we made some diagrams base on the data we collected and give a conclusion. On the other side, we also went to the library and reach some background information about the engineering such as the definition and history of engineering and at the same time, we find out some information about the current situation on the Internet. Finally, In view of the results of the survey and the conclusion report were discussed, we came out with a recommendation which provide some useful suggestions and methods to promoting engineering and attracting students.
B. Results
NUS Faculty Of Engineering
Outreach Project Presentation Script
Slide 1:
S: Good Morning Ladies and Gentleman. We are students from Temasek Junior College. We are here today to give a presentation about our one-month job attachment outreach project in NUS faculty of engineering external relations office. I am Tian Yu. This is my fellow teammate Bo Wei
S: Let us have a quick outlook of this presentation
Slide 2:
S: In this presentation, we will cover introduction, objectives, background information, Current Situation, Conclusion and Recommendations. Now I pass to Bo Wei to give you a general introduction of our project.
Slide 3:
W: Nowadays, Engineering became very important in the society; hence our project came to study current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have, the methods of promoting engineering and attracting students. Our project deals with the main current situation of engineering and the suggestions to change the present situation. In order to achieve this objective, several steps were carried out. First of all, come out with some survey questions and extended the survey forms to the students in JCs as well as the students from secondary schools. Then a number a data was collected and analyzed and we also give some short commons for each diagram and group of data. This analysis gave us an indication of the current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have. After the analysis of the completed survey forms we received, we made some diagrams base on the data we collected and give a conclusion. On the other side, we also went to the library and reach some background information about the engineering such as the definition and history of engineering and at the same time, we find out some information about the current situation on the Internet. Finally, In view of the results of the survey and the conclusion report were discussed, we came out with a recommendation which provide some useful suggestions and methods to promoting engineering and attracting students.
W: Now I pass to Tian Yu to talk about the objectives.
Slide 4:
S: In order to improve the work of engineering outreach program, we would like to provide a report, which indicates the current situation, such as the perceptions and impressions that most students have, the methods of promoting engineering and attracting students. The objective of conducting this report is to clarify the misperception and misunderstanding of engineering and figure out a good method that ameliorates the current situation through investigation and analysis of a survey, library and Internet research, and interviews.
S: Now I pass to Bo Wei to talk about the background information
Slide 5:
W: Background information.
Engineering was not spoken into existence by royal decree or created by legislative fiat. It has evolved and developed as a practical art and a profession over more than 50 centuries of recorded history. In a broad sense, its roots can be traced to the dawn of civilization itself, and its progress parallels the progress of mankind.
Historical studies of engineering teach us respect for the past and its achievements. They help people to view the present in light of the past—to discern trends and to evaluate the reasons for the great changes that have punctuated human progress. By examining the roots of engineering, people are able to sense the broad flow of history and to view the present as a part of that flow. This helps people to put the present in its context and to take a better view of our goals, aspirations.
Thus, the respectful history of engineering probably gives students a better impression that may influent students’ programme choices in university. As passions proceed from interests, the glorious history of engineering enable student to feel that their future study on engineering is beneficial and profitable to the society so that they may find out interest in studying engineering.
Definition Of Engineering
Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying technical and scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria.
Engineering is viewed as an art as well as a science. It is perceived to embody a system of principles, methods, and skills that cannot be learned simply by study. It must be learned, at least in part, by experience and professional practice.
Ultimately, all of the engineer’s work must benefit mankind. Recognition of this fact is demonstrated by the enactment of professional engineering registration laws in the various states for the purpose, which is to safeguard life, health and property, and to promote the public welfare. Engineers must objectively evaluate their designs to insure that the positive effects exceed any adverse effects and that, on balance, their solutions are for the public benefit.
To be clear about the definition and nature of engineering plays an essential and important role when students are considering engineering as a subject to study in university. One of the reasons why there is a decline in number of engineering students is that many people do not have the correct perception about engineering. Due to the fact that in some movies there are negative influences about engineering, people’s way of look at engineering has been changed, especially for the current students who really believe in the movies. Consequently, there is a seriously problem for us to establish a good reputation of engineering.
W: Now I pass to Tian Yu to talk about the current situation
Slide 6:
S: The range in pay for engineers varies tremendously. Pay scales are most often a factor of your level of education and experience. But other factors also play a role as well. These may include where you are seeking employment and the positions you can apply for. On the average, engineers employed with the government or in private sectors earn the most.
Engineers just out of college earn a starting salary of US $40,000+. Compare this with the average salary of liberal arts major (about US $32,000 a year). Average starting salaries for business majors is also lower than that of an engineer fresh out of college.
In 2002, the average salary for an engineer was reported at just slightly over US $65,000. During that same year, the top 10% earned over US $90,000.
Nowadays, salary has become an important issue for the students to take engineering course in the universities. Most students prefer to learn other courses such as finance and business in order to get a high pay job after graduate from the universities. Everyone wants to get high salary in the comparative society.
Slide 7:
S: Safety has become very important because each year a vast number of people die due to workplace and other accidents. For example, in the United States for the year 1996 as per the National Safety Council, there were 93,400 deaths and 20,700,000 disabling injuries due to workplace accidents, with a total loss of US $121 billion. Today there are still a large number of accidents happen all over the world and these pay a grievous cost. So the safety of engineer is very important and this issue should be placed firstly and this is the main cause that fewer students take engineering in the universities.
So the safety of engineer is very important and this issue should be placed firstly and this is the main cause that fewer students take engineering in the universities because no one want to play jokes with his or her own life.
Slide 8:
W: Engineering is a subject that ranges from large collaborations to small individual projects. Almost all engineering projects are beholden to some sort of financing agency: a company, a set of investors, or a government. The few types of engineering that are minimally constrained by such issues are pro bono engineering and open design engineering.
Most of the students who want to learn engineering need to contribute their own effort to the society due to the close relation between society and engineering. However, because of the competition between each person in the society, everyone wants to get an easy enjoyable and many of them do not want to spend extra effort and time on other things. Sometimes, engineer is a tough and tired job, which many of the students do not want to be.
Slide 9:
W: Women in engineering fields have historically faced obstacles due to a lack of gender equity. In Singapore, science and engineering have traditionally not been areas in which women are involved at a proportion equal to their general proportion in society. A number of societies, organizations, and programs have been initiated in an attempt to understand why there is a disparity of gender representation in the field of engineering. These organizations often actively encourage a greater representation of women in engineering. As a part of this movement, there is also a current trend toward recognizing both historical and modern-day women in engineering.
Although there is some increase for the proportion of female students admitted to engineering courses and women work for engineering, the percentage of female is much smaller than male. Many female prefer light work such as bankers or secretaries rather than engineer because they think engineering is only for male and female cannot hold the post of engineer. On the other hand, many of the female are not interested in science and they are not good at science when they study in the JCs or high schools.
Slide 10
S: There exists an overlap between the sciences and engineering practice; in engineering, one applies science. Both areas of endeavor rely on accurate observation of materials and phenomena. Both use mathematics and classification criteria to analyze and communicate observations. Scientists are expected to interpret their observations and to make expert recommendations for practical action based on those interpretations. Scientists may also have to complete engineering tasks, such as designing experimental apparatus or building prototypes. Conversely, in the process of developing technology engineers sometimes find themselves exploring new phenomena, thus becoming, for the moment, scientists.
Engineering is a science subject and the satiation is that the percentage of male who take sciences subject before enter the universities is larger than female. Many students think engineering is a difficult subject to learn because it is related to science such as physics or chemistry and they do not interested in it even some of the male. In this cause, they abandon to learn science before enter universities and change it to art or economics.
Slide 11:
S: Engineering in current students’ eyes
Willing to find out students’ perception of engineering, we, on behalf of the office, have conducted this survey to investigate the solution to promote the awareness of engineering and ideas to attract talented students to study engineering in future.
During the survey, we provided 140 survey question papers and we received 101 survey question papers, which include 35 female and 66 male. Due to the restriction of time and place, approximately 60% of the students did the survey are international students.
Slide 12:
W: Education level
In the 101students, 52 students are studying in secondary schools and 49 students are from junior colleges. The 101 students included 33 integrated programme students.
Slide 13:
W: The subjects the students taking in schools currently.
Most students take more than three subjects in schools and about more than 60 students take chemistry and physics. Subsequently are Biology, social studies, history as well as geography and finally are the economics and computing. This may a good trend for engineering because most students take chemistry and physics in schools that is related to engineering and benefit for the students take engineering cause in the university.
Slide 14:
W: What are your positive perceptions of engineering?
Analysis from the survey form, more than 40 students think engineering offers wide career options in both engineering and non-engineering fields as well as engineering is creative and innovative. In this case, most students think learning engineering is interesting, enjoyable and good for them to find desirable jobs for them. Fewer students think jobs in engineering offers global opportunities and training in engineering gives one the ability to solve problems.
Slide 15:
S: What are your negative perceptions of engineering?
For the negative perceptions of engineering, about 40 students think jobs in engineering are boring and repetitive and engineering is a difficult programme to study. Students want their jobs more interesting and diverting and they do not know about how the students study in the universities. So the engineering departments and the universities should propagandize themselves and let the students know what the engineers do in the domain of engineering and what the students learn in the universities such as open house and short visits. Few people think jobs in engineering have minimal interaction opportunities with people and the jobs can be risky in terms of health and safety.
Slide 16:
S: From where did you obtain information about engineering?
The most three ways that the students get information from are teachers or schoolmates, family or relatives and print media, which are newspaper, magazine, bordures. Web sites and professors in university offer less information for the students. So offer more information from the web sites is necessary as well as the professors from universities give more talk to the students in secondary schools and junior college.
Slide 17:
S: Which of the following institutions do you plan to study after “A” levels?
More than 25 students want to study in National University of Singapore after “A” levels. In this case, NUS should offer more places for the students who want to study in NUS. Subsequently are the students who want to study overseas universities or institutions and some students even not sure about where they want to study in the universities.
Slide 18:
S: Do you plan to study engineering when you enter university?
From the diagram, 18% of the students do not want to study engineering when enter university and 17% of the students want to study engineering. However, most of the students, 65% of them still not sure about whether they plan to study engineering in university.
Slide 19:
W: If yes, which discipline?
From the graph, 17 students want to study engineering in the universities. Including four students want to study chemical engineering and three students want to study electrical engineering, computer engineering and bioengineering respectively. None of the seventeen students wants to study material science and engineering and environment engineering. The universities should offer more places for chemical engineering students.
Slide 20:
W: Have you participated in any of the following activities or events organized by NUS Faculty of Engineering?
Most students did not participate in any of the activities or events organized by NUS Faculty of Engineering except for more than 15 students attended open house, more than ten students attended engineering quest, women in engineering and junior talent development progarmme. Many students even never heard or did not know the activities or events. The faculty of engineering needs to propagandize more about the activities or events to attract more students to participate.
Slide 21:
W: What do you suggest we could do to attract talented students to study engineering?
More than 50 students want the universities to offer more scholarship and bursaries and offer more research programme to JCs and IPs at NUS. Follow by publicity through TV documentaries or drama serial and increase number of student outreach events at NUS.
W: Now I pass to Tian Yu to talk about the conclusion.
Slide 22:
S:
In summary, going through and investigating the survey about engineering, we can easily find out the fact that most of the students apparently have more positive impressions of engineering. However, there is no denying that there is lack of knowledge about faculty engineering in their minds. Success to attract talented students to study engineering is the result of good promotion of the awareness of engineering. Good promotion of the awareness of engineering is the result of correct way to publicize engineering. It is obvious to see a trend, which shows us that there are a number of students who choose to study with NUS after ‘A’ level. At the same time, 67% students are not sure whether they will study engineering in university, which means there is opportunities to lead them enter the faculty of engineering as long as we provide the chances.
Slide 23:
S: From the survey, there is a good signal that many of the students have already involved in the activities or events organized by NUS Faculty of Engineering. Accordingly, the efforts, which have been putted in before, are irreducible and indispensable. As we see, many students are prone to obtain opinions from their teachers and schoolmates. On the other hand, offering scholarships or bursaries is the most direct way for leading student to choose study engineering with NUS. Therefore, we still have a long way to go before we can see that many students are willing to study engineering. After a series of investigation and research, we have all right came out with some strategies and solutions, which we hope to be helpful.
S: Now I pass to Bo Wei to talk about the recommendations
Slide 24:
W:
1. Making a short movie about NUS Faculty of Engineering
Due to the fact that many students and parents normally did not know much about engineering in NUS, a short publicizing movie not only give a positive first impression to the public, but it also may erase some negative opinions from other movies. Subsequently, this movie can be displaces on buses video, Television and websites, including NUS official website, Facebook. Thus, It enables more people start to know and to have a basic understanding.
2.Providing more scholarships and bursaries
It is universal that the financial problems always obstruct the poor students’ way to study in university. Thus giving more scholarships and bursaries is one of the best and direct ways to increase the number of students studying engineering.
3. Have some discussion with students, propaganda talks or presentations given by NUS engineering professors in Junior Colleges and Polytechnics
Giving talks to students studying in Junior Colleges is to publicize and clarify engineering for them who have a blurry concept. Having a discussion with students is to exchange the information from them so that we are able to discover the new situation and quickly come out new solutions.
4.Providing chances for the talent students to have a job attachment at NUS
The purpose is to let them to experience the real NUS life for themselves firstly, which is beneficial for them to quickly settle down at NUS in future.
Slide 25:
W: 5. Having a NUS faculty of engineering blog
This blog allows students to ask any questions and give suggestion. At the same time, it is used to be a place to advertise engineering. This is a costless blog, where we publicize ourselves in, obtain information and feedback.
6. Provide some opportunities for talent students to have a dinner with NUS engineering professors
It will provide a chance for students and professors to exchange their information and opinion, which is not only beneficial to the students, but the faculty of engineering will also have some new information about the current situation.
7. Provide chances for students to have some CIP programme at NUS
Nowadays, many Junior College students are keen to accomplish some CIP programme in order to have more CIP hour. Provide opportunities for students to have CIP at NUS will attract more students to come to NUS and perceive what happened here.
8. Making more posters displaced on bus, bus stop, MRT trains, MRT stations and schools’ respective notice boards.
As students often go school by bus or MRT, it is effective to displace on bus, bus stop, MRT trains and MRT stations. Since posters have a direct influence on people’s mind, putting out posters is a good way to promote engineering to the public.
Slide 26,27,28:
S: There are the references.
Slide 29:
S: Q&A Now
Slide 30:
S&W: Thank You!
| Organisation: | Singapore National University, Faculty of Engineering, Office of External Relations |
| Mentor: | Ms Christina Sho |
| Members: | Zhang Tian Yu, Wu Bo Wei |
| Project Title: | Outreach Research Project |
A. Brief Description of Project
Nowadays, Engineering became very important in the society; hence our project came to study current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have, the methods of promoting engineering and attracting students. Our project deals with the main current situation of engineering and the suggestions to change the present situation. In order to achieve this objective, several steps were carried out. First of all, come out with some survey questions and extended the survey forms to the students in JCs as well as the students from secondary schools. Then a number a data was collected and analyzed and we also give some short commons for each diagram and group of data. This analysis gave us an indication of the current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have. After the analysis of the completed survey forms we received, we made some diagrams base on the data we collected and give a conclusion. On the other side, we also went to the library and reach some background information about the engineering such as the definition and history of engineering and at the same time, we find out some information about the current situation on the Internet. Finally, In view of the results of the survey and the conclusion report were discussed, we came out with a recommendation which provide some useful suggestions and methods to promoting engineering and attracting students.
B. Results
Conclusion
In summary, going through and investigating the survey about engineering, we can easily find out the fact that most of the students apparently have more positive impressions of engineering. However, there is no denying that there is lack of knowledge about faculty engineering in their minds. Success to attract talented students to study engineering is the result of good promotion of the awareness of engineering. Good promotion of the awareness of engineering is the result of correct way to publicize engineering. It is obvious to see a trend, which shows us that there are a number of students who choose to study with NUS after ‘A’ level. At the same time, 67% students are not sure whether they will study engineering in university, which means there is opportunities to lead them enter the faculty of engineering as long as we provide the chances. From the survey, there is a good signal that many of the students have already involved in the activities or events organized by NUS Faculty of Engineering. Accordingly, the efforts, which have been putted in before, are irreducible and indispensable. As we see, many students are prone to obtain opinions from their teachers and schoolmates. On the other hand, offering scholarships or bursaries is the most direct way for leading student to choose study engineering with NUS. Therefore, we still have a long way to go before we can see that many students are willing to study engineering. After a series of investigation and research, we have all right came out with some strategies and solutions, which we hope to be helpful. Recommendation
1. Making a short movie about NUS Faculty of Engineering
Due to the fact that many students and parents normally did not know much about engineering in NUS, a short publicizing movie not only give a positive first impression to the public, but it also may erase some negative opinions from other movies. Subsequently, this movie can be displaces on buses video, Television and websites, including NUS official website, Facebook. Thus, It enables more people start to know and to have a basic understanding.
2. Providing more scholarships and bursaries
It is universal that the financial problems always obstruct the poor students’ way to study in university. Thus giving more scholarships and bursaries is one of the best and direct ways to increase the number of students studying engineering.
3. Have some discussion with students, propaganda talks or presentations given by NUS engineering professors in Junior Colleges and Polytechnics
Giving talks to students studying in Junior Colleges is to publicize and clarify engineering for them who have a blurry concept. Having a discussion with students is to exchange the information from them so that we are able to discover the new situation and quickly come out new solutions.
4. Providing chances for the talent students to have a job attachment at NUS
The purpose is to let them to experience the real NUS life for themselves firstly, which is beneficial for them to quickly settle down at NUS in future.
5. Having a NUS faculty of engineering blog
This blog allows students to ask any questions and give suggestion. At the same time, it is used to be a place to advertise engineering. This is a costless blog, where we publicize ourselves in, obtain information and feedback.
6. Provide some opportunities for talent students to have a dinner with NUS engineering professors
It will provide a chance for students and professors to exchange their information and opinion, which is not only beneficial to the students, but the faculty of engineering will also have some new information about the current situation.
7. Provide chances for students to have some CIP programme at NUS
Nowadays, many Junior College students are keen to accomplish some CIP programme in order to have more CIP hour. Provide opportunities for students to have CIP at NUS will attract more students to come to NUS and perceive what happened here.
8. Making more posters displaced on bus, bus stop, MRT trains, MRT stations and schools’ respective notice boards.
As students often go school by bus or MRT, it is effective to displace on bus, bus stop, MRT trains and MRT stations. Since posters have a direct influence on people’s mind, putting out posters is a good way to promote engineering to the public.
Due to the fact that many students and parents normally did not know much about engineering in NUS, a short publicizing movie not only give a positive first impression to the public, but it also may erase some negative opinions from other movies. Subsequently, this movie can be displaces on buses video, Television and websites, including NUS official website, Facebook. Thus, It enables more people start to know and to have a basic understanding.
2. Providing more scholarships and bursaries
It is universal that the financial problems always obstruct the poor students’ way to study in university. Thus giving more scholarships and bursaries is one of the best and direct ways to increase the number of students studying engineering.
3. Have some discussion with students, propaganda talks or presentations given by NUS engineering professors in Junior Colleges and Polytechnics
Giving talks to students studying in Junior Colleges is to publicize and clarify engineering for them who have a blurry concept. Having a discussion with students is to exchange the information from them so that we are able to discover the new situation and quickly come out new solutions.
4. Providing chances for the talent students to have a job attachment at NUS
The purpose is to let them to experience the real NUS life for themselves firstly, which is beneficial for them to quickly settle down at NUS in future.
5. Having a NUS faculty of engineering blog
This blog allows students to ask any questions and give suggestion. At the same time, it is used to be a place to advertise engineering. This is a costless blog, where we publicize ourselves in, obtain information and feedback.
6. Provide some opportunities for talent students to have a dinner with NUS engineering professors
It will provide a chance for students and professors to exchange their information and opinion, which is not only beneficial to the students, but the faculty of engineering will also have some new information about the current situation.
7. Provide chances for students to have some CIP programme at NUS
Nowadays, many Junior College students are keen to accomplish some CIP programme in order to have more CIP hour. Provide opportunities for students to have CIP at NUS will attract more students to come to NUS and perceive what happened here.
8. Making more posters displaced on bus, bus stop, MRT trains, MRT stations and schools’ respective notice boards.
As students often go school by bus or MRT, it is effective to displace on bus, bus stop, MRT trains and MRT stations. Since posters have a direct influence on people’s mind, putting out posters is a good way to promote engineering to the public.
C. Reflection
Three content knowledge/skills that we have learnt
1. We learnt how to do presentation to the public, organizations or corporations such as the presentation skills and powerpoint making which is useful for Project Work.
2. We learnt the proper way of writing formal reports, for example the format of reports and that kind of language we should use when writing reports
3.We also learnt how to work with other people which have improved the communicaton skills, teamwork as well as how to mange time by working with the fellows.
Two interesting aspects about our learning
1. Present to the people who are working in the office was quite interesting. From the presentation, we found out what are our insufficiencies and what we need to improve and this was a very interesting experience.
2. Another interesting aspect was working with the people in the office. Everyday we worked and had lunch with the stuff and it was the experience that we ever went throuht before.
One take-away for life
1. The experience of working in the office is really unforgettable especially the presentation and the skill which i have learnt was useful for me to working in the office in the future
Gallery
Engineering was not spoken into existence by royal decree or created by legislative fiat. It has evolved and developed as a practical art and a profession over more than 50 centuries of recorded history. In a broad sense, its roots can be traced to the dawn of civilization itself, and its progress parallels the progress of mankind.
Our ancient forebears attempted to control and use the materials and forces of nature for public benefit just as we do today. They studied and observed the laws of nature and developed knowledge of mathematics and science that was not possessed by the common people. They applied this knowledge with discretion and judgment in ways that satisfied beneficial social needs with ports, roads, buildings, irrigation and flood control facilities, and other creative works.
Historical studies of engineering teach us respect for the past and its achievements. They help people to view the present in light of the past—to discern trends and to evaluate the reasons for the great changes that have punctuated human progress. By examining the roots of engineering, people are able to sense the broad flow of history and to view the present as a part of that flow. This helps people to put the present in its context and to take a better view of our goals, aspirations.
Thus, the respectful history of engineering probably gives students a better impression that may influent students’ programme choices in university. As passions proceed from interests, the glorious history of engineering enable student to feel that their future study on engineering is beneficial and profitable to the society so that they may find out interest in studying engineering.
Definition Of Engineering
Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying technical and scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria. The American Engineers' Council for Professional Development has defined engineering as follows:
“The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating
Conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.”
Engineering is viewed as an art as well as a science. It is perceived to embody a system of principles, methods, and skills that cannot be learned simply by study. It must be learned, at least in part, by experience and professional practice.
The engineer’s knowledge must be tempered with professional judgment. Solutions to engineering problems must satisfy conflicting requirements, and the preferred optimum solution does not always result from a clear-cut application of scientific principles or formulas. The engineer must weigh conflicting constraints and make judgments based on knowledge and experience seeking a best or optimum solution.
In seeking answers to problems, engineers utilize the materials and forces of nature. There is an almost unlimited list of materials, both natural and manufactured, that engineers can utilize to fashion their designs. They select appropriate materials on the basis of availability, cost, and physical properties.
The engineer can access a much smaller list of sources of energy: petroleum, coal, gas, nuclear fission, hydroelectric power, sunlight, and wind. These sources vary widely in availability, cost, safety, and technological complexity.
Engineers recognize that the earth’s supply of materials and energy is not limitless, and they must be concerned not only with utilization of these resources but also with their conservation. This involves recycling and reuse of existing materials, rehabilitation instead of replacement of old facilities, and the creative substitution of an abundant material for one that is in scarce supply. It also involves seeking solutions that are energy efficient and exploring for new sources of energy to replace those that are being depleted.
Engineers seek solutions that are economical. This implies that the benefits of their solutions must exceed the costs. It further means that they must exercise care in the management of money, time, materials, and other resources.
Ultimately, all of the engineer’s work must benefit mankind. Recognition of this fact is demonstrated by the enactment of professional engineering registration laws in the various states for the purpose, which is to safeguard life, health and property, and to promote the public welfare. Engineers must objectively evaluate their designs to insure that the positive effects exceed any adverse effects and that, on balance, their solutions are for the public benefit.
To be clear about the definition and nature of engineering plays an essential and important role when students are considering engineering as a subject to study in university. One of the reasons why there is a decline in number of engineering students is that many people do not have the correct perception about engineering. Due to the fact that in some movies there are negative influences about engineering, people’s way of look at engineering has been changed, especially for the current students who really believe in the movies. Consequently, there is a seriously problem for us to establish a good reputation of engineering.
Time Things to do Remarks
7 January Conduction, printing and distribution of the survey questions Checking with Ms Christina Tan
8 January Distributions of the survey in Temasek JC, Dunman High Hostel , Victoria Hall(Victoria Secondary School), and Dunman High School. The targeting number of people involving the survey: 100
9 January Back to Temasek JC and Distributions of the survey
10 January Weekend
11 January Weekend
12 January Collection, analysis and investigation of the survey Coming out with a conclusion
13 January Research in NLB(background information)/ Develop and confirm the objectives of the report
14 January Typing out the first draft of the report in hostel
15 January Typing out the first draft of the report in hostel
16 January Back to Temasek JC
17 January Weekend
18 January Weekend
19 January Check the first draft with Ms Christina Tan/Develop the first draft/start to do the second draft
20 January Confirm the final draft and printing out/Start to brainstorm the presentation
21 January Making the first draft of PowerPoint in hostel
22 January Check the PowerPoint with Ms Christina Tan/develop the first draft/start to do the second draft
23 January Back to Temasek JC
24 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
25 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
26 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
27 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
28 January Confirm the final PowerPoint / Rehearsal of the presentation
29 January Actual presentation
30 January Back to school
Three content knowledge/skills that we have learnt
1. We learnt how to do presentation to the public, organizations or corporations such as the presentation skills and powerpoint making which is useful for Project Work.
2. We learnt the proper way of writing formal reports, for example the format of reports and that kind of language we should use when writing reports
3.We also learnt how to work with other people which have improved the communicaton skills, teamwork as well as how to mange time by working with the fellows.
Two interesting aspects about our learning
1. Present to the people who are working in the office was quite interesting. From the presentation, we found out what are our insufficiencies and what we need to improve and this was a very interesting experience.
2. Another interesting aspect was working with the people in the office. Everyday we worked and had lunch with the stuff and it was the experience that we ever went throuht before.
One take-away for life
1. The experience of working in the office is really unforgettable especially the presentation and the skill which i have learnt was useful for me to working in the office in the future
Gallery
Background Information
History Of EngineeringEngineering was not spoken into existence by royal decree or created by legislative fiat. It has evolved and developed as a practical art and a profession over more than 50 centuries of recorded history. In a broad sense, its roots can be traced to the dawn of civilization itself, and its progress parallels the progress of mankind.
Our ancient forebears attempted to control and use the materials and forces of nature for public benefit just as we do today. They studied and observed the laws of nature and developed knowledge of mathematics and science that was not possessed by the common people. They applied this knowledge with discretion and judgment in ways that satisfied beneficial social needs with ports, roads, buildings, irrigation and flood control facilities, and other creative works.
Historical studies of engineering teach us respect for the past and its achievements. They help people to view the present in light of the past—to discern trends and to evaluate the reasons for the great changes that have punctuated human progress. By examining the roots of engineering, people are able to sense the broad flow of history and to view the present as a part of that flow. This helps people to put the present in its context and to take a better view of our goals, aspirations.
Thus, the respectful history of engineering probably gives students a better impression that may influent students’ programme choices in university. As passions proceed from interests, the glorious history of engineering enable student to feel that their future study on engineering is beneficial and profitable to the society so that they may find out interest in studying engineering.
Definition Of Engineering
Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying technical and scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria. The American Engineers' Council for Professional Development has defined engineering as follows:
“The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating
Conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.”
Engineering is viewed as an art as well as a science. It is perceived to embody a system of principles, methods, and skills that cannot be learned simply by study. It must be learned, at least in part, by experience and professional practice.
The engineer’s knowledge must be tempered with professional judgment. Solutions to engineering problems must satisfy conflicting requirements, and the preferred optimum solution does not always result from a clear-cut application of scientific principles or formulas. The engineer must weigh conflicting constraints and make judgments based on knowledge and experience seeking a best or optimum solution.
In seeking answers to problems, engineers utilize the materials and forces of nature. There is an almost unlimited list of materials, both natural and manufactured, that engineers can utilize to fashion their designs. They select appropriate materials on the basis of availability, cost, and physical properties.
The engineer can access a much smaller list of sources of energy: petroleum, coal, gas, nuclear fission, hydroelectric power, sunlight, and wind. These sources vary widely in availability, cost, safety, and technological complexity.
Engineers recognize that the earth’s supply of materials and energy is not limitless, and they must be concerned not only with utilization of these resources but also with their conservation. This involves recycling and reuse of existing materials, rehabilitation instead of replacement of old facilities, and the creative substitution of an abundant material for one that is in scarce supply. It also involves seeking solutions that are energy efficient and exploring for new sources of energy to replace those that are being depleted.
Engineers seek solutions that are economical. This implies that the benefits of their solutions must exceed the costs. It further means that they must exercise care in the management of money, time, materials, and other resources.
Ultimately, all of the engineer’s work must benefit mankind. Recognition of this fact is demonstrated by the enactment of professional engineering registration laws in the various states for the purpose, which is to safeguard life, health and property, and to promote the public welfare. Engineers must objectively evaluate their designs to insure that the positive effects exceed any adverse effects and that, on balance, their solutions are for the public benefit.
To be clear about the definition and nature of engineering plays an essential and important role when students are considering engineering as a subject to study in university. One of the reasons why there is a decline in number of engineering students is that many people do not have the correct perception about engineering. Due to the fact that in some movies there are negative influences about engineering, people’s way of look at engineering has been changed, especially for the current students who really believe in the movies. Consequently, there is a seriously problem for us to establish a good reputation of engineering.
The Timeline of the Engineering Outreach Project
Temasek Academy Year 3 Term 1, 2009
Temasek Academy Year 3 Term 1, 2009
Time Things to do Remarks
7 January Conduction, printing and distribution of the survey questions Checking with Ms Christina Tan
8 January Distributions of the survey in Temasek JC, Dunman High Hostel , Victoria Hall(Victoria Secondary School), and Dunman High School. The targeting number of people involving the survey: 100
9 January Back to Temasek JC and Distributions of the survey
10 January Weekend
11 January Weekend
12 January Collection, analysis and investigation of the survey Coming out with a conclusion
13 January Research in NLB(background information)/ Develop and confirm the objectives of the report
14 January Typing out the first draft of the report in hostel
15 January Typing out the first draft of the report in hostel
16 January Back to Temasek JC
17 January Weekend
18 January Weekend
19 January Check the first draft with Ms Christina Tan/Develop the first draft/start to do the second draft
20 January Confirm the final draft and printing out/Start to brainstorm the presentation
21 January Making the first draft of PowerPoint in hostel
22 January Check the PowerPoint with Ms Christina Tan/develop the first draft/start to do the second draft
23 January Back to Temasek JC
24 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
25 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
26 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
27 January CNY Holiday/Practice and prepare the presentation
28 January Confirm the final PowerPoint / Rehearsal of the presentation
29 January Actual presentation
30 January Back to school
NUS Faculty Of Engineering
Outreach Project Presentation Script
S: Zhang Tianyu W: Wu Bowei
S: Good Morning Ladies and Gentleman. We are students from Temasek Junior College. We are here today to give a presentation about our one-month job attachment outreach project in NUS faculty of engineering external relations office. I am Tian Yu. This is my fellow teammate Bo Wei
S: Let us have a quick outlook of this presentation
Slide 2:
S: In this presentation, we will cover introduction, objectives, background information, Current Situation, Conclusion and Recommendations. Now I pass to Bo Wei to give you a general introduction of our project.
Slide 3:
W: Nowadays, Engineering became very important in the society; hence our project came to study current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have, the methods of promoting engineering and attracting students. Our project deals with the main current situation of engineering and the suggestions to change the present situation. In order to achieve this objective, several steps were carried out. First of all, come out with some survey questions and extended the survey forms to the students in JCs as well as the students from secondary schools. Then a number a data was collected and analyzed and we also give some short commons for each diagram and group of data. This analysis gave us an indication of the current situation of the perceptions and impressions that most students have. After the analysis of the completed survey forms we received, we made some diagrams base on the data we collected and give a conclusion. On the other side, we also went to the library and reach some background information about the engineering such as the definition and history of engineering and at the same time, we find out some information about the current situation on the Internet. Finally, In view of the results of the survey and the conclusion report were discussed, we came out with a recommendation which provide some useful suggestions and methods to promoting engineering and attracting students.
W: Now I pass to Tian Yu to talk about the objectives.
Slide 4:
S: In order to improve the work of engineering outreach program, we would like to provide a report, which indicates the current situation, such as the perceptions and impressions that most students have, the methods of promoting engineering and attracting students. The objective of conducting this report is to clarify the misperception and misunderstanding of engineering and figure out a good method that ameliorates the current situation through investigation and analysis of a survey, library and Internet research, and interviews.
S: Now I pass to Bo Wei to talk about the background information
Slide 5:
W: Background information.
Engineering was not spoken into existence by royal decree or created by legislative fiat. It has evolved and developed as a practical art and a profession over more than 50 centuries of recorded history. In a broad sense, its roots can be traced to the dawn of civilization itself, and its progress parallels the progress of mankind.
Historical studies of engineering teach us respect for the past and its achievements. They help people to view the present in light of the past—to discern trends and to evaluate the reasons for the great changes that have punctuated human progress. By examining the roots of engineering, people are able to sense the broad flow of history and to view the present as a part of that flow. This helps people to put the present in its context and to take a better view of our goals, aspirations.
Thus, the respectful history of engineering probably gives students a better impression that may influent students’ programme choices in university. As passions proceed from interests, the glorious history of engineering enable student to feel that their future study on engineering is beneficial and profitable to the society so that they may find out interest in studying engineering.
Definition Of Engineering
Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying technical and scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria.
Engineering is viewed as an art as well as a science. It is perceived to embody a system of principles, methods, and skills that cannot be learned simply by study. It must be learned, at least in part, by experience and professional practice.
Ultimately, all of the engineer’s work must benefit mankind. Recognition of this fact is demonstrated by the enactment of professional engineering registration laws in the various states for the purpose, which is to safeguard life, health and property, and to promote the public welfare. Engineers must objectively evaluate their designs to insure that the positive effects exceed any adverse effects and that, on balance, their solutions are for the public benefit.
To be clear about the definition and nature of engineering plays an essential and important role when students are considering engineering as a subject to study in university. One of the reasons why there is a decline in number of engineering students is that many people do not have the correct perception about engineering. Due to the fact that in some movies there are negative influences about engineering, people’s way of look at engineering has been changed, especially for the current students who really believe in the movies. Consequently, there is a seriously problem for us to establish a good reputation of engineering.
W: Now I pass to Tian Yu to talk about the current situation
Slide 6:
S: The range in pay for engineers varies tremendously. Pay scales are most often a factor of your level of education and experience. But other factors also play a role as well. These may include where you are seeking employment and the positions you can apply for. On the average, engineers employed with the government or in private sectors earn the most.
Engineers just out of college earn a starting salary of US $40,000+. Compare this with the average salary of liberal arts major (about US $32,000 a year). Average starting salaries for business majors is also lower than that of an engineer fresh out of college.
In 2002, the average salary for an engineer was reported at just slightly over US $65,000. During that same year, the top 10% earned over US $90,000.
Nowadays, salary has become an important issue for the students to take engineering course in the universities. Most students prefer to learn other courses such as finance and business in order to get a high pay job after graduate from the universities. Everyone wants to get high salary in the comparative society.
Slide 7:
S: Safety has become very important because each year a vast number of people die due to workplace and other accidents. For example, in the United States for the year 1996 as per the National Safety Council, there were 93,400 deaths and 20,700,000 disabling injuries due to workplace accidents, with a total loss of US $121 billion. Today there are still a large number of accidents happen all over the world and these pay a grievous cost. So the safety of engineer is very important and this issue should be placed firstly and this is the main cause that fewer students take engineering in the universities.
So the safety of engineer is very important and this issue should be placed firstly and this is the main cause that fewer students take engineering in the universities because no one want to play jokes with his or her own life.
Slide 8:
W: Engineering is a subject that ranges from large collaborations to small individual projects. Almost all engineering projects are beholden to some sort of financing agency: a company, a set of investors, or a government. The few types of engineering that are minimally constrained by such issues are pro bono engineering and open design engineering.
Most of the students who want to learn engineering need to contribute their own effort to the society due to the close relation between society and engineering. However, because of the competition between each person in the society, everyone wants to get an easy enjoyable and many of them do not want to spend extra effort and time on other things. Sometimes, engineer is a tough and tired job, which many of the students do not want to be.
Slide 9:
W: Women in engineering fields have historically faced obstacles due to a lack of gender equity. In Singapore, science and engineering have traditionally not been areas in which women are involved at a proportion equal to their general proportion in society. A number of societies, organizations, and programs have been initiated in an attempt to understand why there is a disparity of gender representation in the field of engineering. These organizations often actively encourage a greater representation of women in engineering. As a part of this movement, there is also a current trend toward recognizing both historical and modern-day women in engineering.
Although there is some increase for the proportion of female students admitted to engineering courses and women work for engineering, the percentage of female is much smaller than male. Many female prefer light work such as bankers or secretaries rather than engineer because they think engineering is only for male and female cannot hold the post of engineer. On the other hand, many of the female are not interested in science and they are not good at science when they study in the JCs or high schools.
Slide 10
S: There exists an overlap between the sciences and engineering practice; in engineering, one applies science. Both areas of endeavor rely on accurate observation of materials and phenomena. Both use mathematics and classification criteria to analyze and communicate observations. Scientists are expected to interpret their observations and to make expert recommendations for practical action based on those interpretations. Scientists may also have to complete engineering tasks, such as designing experimental apparatus or building prototypes. Conversely, in the process of developing technology engineers sometimes find themselves exploring new phenomena, thus becoming, for the moment, scientists.
Engineering is a science subject and the satiation is that the percentage of male who take sciences subject before enter the universities is larger than female. Many students think engineering is a difficult subject to learn because it is related to science such as physics or chemistry and they do not interested in it even some of the male. In this cause, they abandon to learn science before enter universities and change it to art or economics.
Slide 11:
S: Engineering in current students’ eyes
Willing to find out students’ perception of engineering, we, on behalf of the office, have conducted this survey to investigate the solution to promote the awareness of engineering and ideas to attract talented students to study engineering in future.
During the survey, we provided 140 survey question papers and we received 101 survey question papers, which include 35 female and 66 male. Due to the restriction of time and place, approximately 60% of the students did the survey are international students.
Slide 12:
W: Education level
In the 101students, 52 students are studying in secondary schools and 49 students are from junior colleges. The 101 students included 33 integrated programme students.
Slide 13:
W: The subjects the students taking in schools currently.
Most students take more than three subjects in schools and about more than 60 students take chemistry and physics. Subsequently are Biology, social studies, history as well as geography and finally are the economics and computing. This may a good trend for engineering because most students take chemistry and physics in schools that is related to engineering and benefit for the students take engineering cause in the university.
Slide 14:
W: What are your positive perceptions of engineering?
Analysis from the survey form, more than 40 students think engineering offers wide career options in both engineering and non-engineering fields as well as engineering is creative and innovative. In this case, most students think learning engineering is interesting, enjoyable and good for them to find desirable jobs for them. Fewer students think jobs in engineering offers global opportunities and training in engineering gives one the ability to solve problems.
Slide 15:
S: What are your negative perceptions of engineering?
For the negative perceptions of engineering, about 40 students think jobs in engineering are boring and repetitive and engineering is a difficult programme to study. Students want their jobs more interesting and diverting and they do not know about how the students study in the universities. So the engineering departments and the universities should propagandize themselves and let the students know what the engineers do in the domain of engineering and what the students learn in the universities such as open house and short visits. Few people think jobs in engineering have minimal interaction opportunities with people and the jobs can be risky in terms of health and safety.
Slide 16:
S: From where did you obtain information about engineering?
The most three ways that the students get information from are teachers or schoolmates, family or relatives and print media, which are newspaper, magazine, bordures. Web sites and professors in university offer less information for the students. So offer more information from the web sites is necessary as well as the professors from universities give more talk to the students in secondary schools and junior college.
Slide 17:
S: Which of the following institutions do you plan to study after “A” levels?
More than 25 students want to study in National University of Singapore after “A” levels. In this case, NUS should offer more places for the students who want to study in NUS. Subsequently are the students who want to study overseas universities or institutions and some students even not sure about where they want to study in the universities.
Slide 18:
S: Do you plan to study engineering when you enter university?
From the diagram, 18% of the students do not want to study engineering when enter university and 17% of the students want to study engineering. However, most of the students, 65% of them still not sure about whether they plan to study engineering in university.
Slide 19:
W: If yes, which discipline?
From the graph, 17 students want to study engineering in the universities. Including four students want to study chemical engineering and three students want to study electrical engineering, computer engineering and bioengineering respectively. None of the seventeen students wants to study material science and engineering and environment engineering. The universities should offer more places for chemical engineering students.
Slide 20:
W: Have you participated in any of the following activities or events organized by NUS Faculty of Engineering?
Most students did not participate in any of the activities or events organized by NUS Faculty of Engineering except for more than 15 students attended open house, more than ten students attended engineering quest, women in engineering and junior talent development progarmme. Many students even never heard or did not know the activities or events. The faculty of engineering needs to propagandize more about the activities or events to attract more students to participate.
Slide 21:
W: What do you suggest we could do to attract talented students to study engineering?
More than 50 students want the universities to offer more scholarship and bursaries and offer more research programme to JCs and IPs at NUS. Follow by publicity through TV documentaries or drama serial and increase number of student outreach events at NUS.
W: Now I pass to Tian Yu to talk about the conclusion.
Slide 22:
S:
In summary, going through and investigating the survey about engineering, we can easily find out the fact that most of the students apparently have more positive impressions of engineering. However, there is no denying that there is lack of knowledge about faculty engineering in their minds. Success to attract talented students to study engineering is the result of good promotion of the awareness of engineering. Good promotion of the awareness of engineering is the result of correct way to publicize engineering. It is obvious to see a trend, which shows us that there are a number of students who choose to study with NUS after ‘A’ level. At the same time, 67% students are not sure whether they will study engineering in university, which means there is opportunities to lead them enter the faculty of engineering as long as we provide the chances.
Slide 23:
S: From the survey, there is a good signal that many of the students have already involved in the activities or events organized by NUS Faculty of Engineering. Accordingly, the efforts, which have been putted in before, are irreducible and indispensable. As we see, many students are prone to obtain opinions from their teachers and schoolmates. On the other hand, offering scholarships or bursaries is the most direct way for leading student to choose study engineering with NUS. Therefore, we still have a long way to go before we can see that many students are willing to study engineering. After a series of investigation and research, we have all right came out with some strategies and solutions, which we hope to be helpful.
S: Now I pass to Bo Wei to talk about the recommendations
Slide 24:
W:
1. Making a short movie about NUS Faculty of Engineering
Due to the fact that many students and parents normally did not know much about engineering in NUS, a short publicizing movie not only give a positive first impression to the public, but it also may erase some negative opinions from other movies. Subsequently, this movie can be displaces on buses video, Television and websites, including NUS official website, Facebook. Thus, It enables more people start to know and to have a basic understanding.
2.Providing more scholarships and bursaries
It is universal that the financial problems always obstruct the poor students’ way to study in university. Thus giving more scholarships and bursaries is one of the best and direct ways to increase the number of students studying engineering.
3. Have some discussion with students, propaganda talks or presentations given by NUS engineering professors in Junior Colleges and Polytechnics
Giving talks to students studying in Junior Colleges is to publicize and clarify engineering for them who have a blurry concept. Having a discussion with students is to exchange the information from them so that we are able to discover the new situation and quickly come out new solutions.
4.Providing chances for the talent students to have a job attachment at NUS
The purpose is to let them to experience the real NUS life for themselves firstly, which is beneficial for them to quickly settle down at NUS in future.
Slide 25:
W: 5. Having a NUS faculty of engineering blog
This blog allows students to ask any questions and give suggestion. At the same time, it is used to be a place to advertise engineering. This is a costless blog, where we publicize ourselves in, obtain information and feedback.
6. Provide some opportunities for talent students to have a dinner with NUS engineering professors
It will provide a chance for students and professors to exchange their information and opinion, which is not only beneficial to the students, but the faculty of engineering will also have some new information about the current situation.
7. Provide chances for students to have some CIP programme at NUS
Nowadays, many Junior College students are keen to accomplish some CIP programme in order to have more CIP hour. Provide opportunities for students to have CIP at NUS will attract more students to come to NUS and perceive what happened here.
8. Making more posters displaced on bus, bus stop, MRT trains, MRT stations and schools’ respective notice boards.
As students often go school by bus or MRT, it is effective to displace on bus, bus stop, MRT trains and MRT stations. Since posters have a direct influence on people’s mind, putting out posters is a good way to promote engineering to the public.
Slide 26,27,28:
S: There are the references.
Slide 29:
S: Q&A Now
Slide 30:
S&W: Thank You!
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