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  • Author Author: Former Member
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What is the most effective form of Technical Training for professional engineers?

Some colleagues and I were discussing the most effective form of Technical Training for professional engineers.

 

When discussing the different training methods, we were considering different trade offs like time taken, cost, benefit, etc. We've come up with this list and we each have our preference.

 

We'd like to increase the sample size and see what other people think.

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  • Learning is always a process that starts with exposure to new material or extrapolation and synthesis from previous knowledge. For engineering, new material is generally visual, sometimes with audio support. New material must be remembered and integrated with, and related to, existing knowledge. Gaps in knowledge and relationships can sometimes only be discovered by trying or testing. The methods in the poll all use the same process, just with slightly different weighting to the various stages. The most effective method is generally the one that makes the most linkages to previous knowledge, thus providing the best retention and highest understanding. This will usually be a combination of methods. As mentioned, there are numerous factors that dictate how effective a method will be and which one is most effective for given starting and ending conditions. However it is still a good question to ponder as the most important thing engineers learn is how to solve problems - which is either an exercise in memory or an exercise in learning.

  • in reply to dougw

    Hi Douglas,

     

    You are correct.  The best skill that an engineer can develop is how to apply information from many fields to tackle problems with new solutions.

    I would often pull knowledge about hydrodynamics to look at air flow and pressure issues.

    In my new book, I show how thermal conductivity occurs just like electrical conductivity.  It is all based upon the difference in energy potential.

    I see these same themes repeat time after time in each science domain, its just that few people bother to look at the similarities and connect the dots.

     

    DAB

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  • in reply to dougw

    Hi Douglas,

     

    You are correct.  The best skill that an engineer can develop is how to apply information from many fields to tackle problems with new solutions.

    I would often pull knowledge about hydrodynamics to look at air flow and pressure issues.

    In my new book, I show how thermal conductivity occurs just like electrical conductivity.  It is all based upon the difference in energy potential.

    I see these same themes repeat time after time in each science domain, its just that few people bother to look at the similarities and connect the dots.

     

    DAB

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