This engineering education research project supports a workshop to explore how to apply the design and system thinking approaches engineers use to understand and improve educational systems. The goal of the workshop will be to explore how to develop meaningful synergies between education and engineering, as well as explore pathways to develop future leaders, policy makers, and administrators with competencies that span both disciplines. During the workshop an interdisciplinary group of 20 participants will develop a definition of the education system, define core competencies for understanding education at the enterprise level, and explore career pathways for future practitioners.
The broader significance and importance of this project will be to explore how new academic, research and practice communities can be created that support the large and diverse education ecosystem. The creation of these communities has the potential to build bridges across professions in which there is currently little overlap, and potentially impact the quality of education offered all US citizens. This project overlaps with NSF's strategic goals of transforming the frontiers through preparation of an engineering workforce with new capabilities and expertise. Additionally NSF's goal of innovating for society is enabled by creating results and research that are useful for society by informing educational policy and practices.
