Preparation of engineering senior design course: Global learning integration

Abstract

Engineering collaboration in today's interconnected global economy requires engineers who can understand, respect, and work collaboratively with different cultures around the world. Companies no longer design and build airplanes, cars and other technologically- intensive products within one country but through engineering and manufacturing capabilities wherever it can be economically utilized. Engineers must have skills for perceiving and adjusting for differences in culture needed in such global collaborations. This paper describes efforts to integrate global learning strategies into the M E 662 senior design course in the mechanical engineering design curriculum at Wichita State University. The goal is to develop a globally aware, culturally sensitive and adaptive engineer. Educators and researchers from engineering, education, and specialists in global learning are facilitating the process. The methodology includes implementation of the "cage painting" metaphor and accompanying simulator. Preliminary experiences from unique collaborations of local and international indust ry and academic institutions in the U.S., Russia, and I ndia from the Spring 2006 are included in the paper.