KEENzine5

4 DEBATE: A CONTRARIAN APPROACHTO EML Taly Schmidt, Marquette University 16 PERSPECTIVES: FOSTERINGHEALTHY DIALOGUE Margot Vigeant, Bucknell University Table of Contents 12 OHM’S LAW ISA LIE Kundan Nepal and Greg Mowry, University of St. Thomas P erspective: “Entrepreneurial mindset” is just the latest in a series of fads in engineering education and will eventually be replaced by something else. R esponse: There certainly are trends in the field of engineering education. As research on the topic continues, educators will have more information upon which to base their decisions about whether to include the entrepreneurial mindset within their curricula. In the meantime, we note that aspects of the entrepreneurial mindset (e.g., creativity, empathy, changing course on an idea when necessary) are closely related to topics in engineering design, a longstanding part of the undergraduate engineering curriculum. P erspective: There is not room in the curriculum for teaching the entrepreneurial mindset. It takes curricular resources away from necessary technical content without adding significant value. R esponse: In previous decades, this same argument has been made about a variety of other professional skills, including teamwork and communication, these P ERSPECTIVES For those of us committed to fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in our students, it’s natural for us to want our colleagues to join us. Following are excerpts of some of the perspectives we’ve heard about teaching entrepreneurial thinking within engineering, and how we’ve addressed our colleagues’ concerns. Fostering healthy dialogue By Margot Vigeant two non-technical skills now widely accepted as critical to the work and success of engineers. Furthermore, as is the case in the approach that many institutions use for teaching other professional skills, there is flexibility in how entrepreneurial mindset is incorporated within a curriculum. In other words, a new course on “entrepreneurial mindset” does not necessarily need to be created. P erspective: Teaching students how to make money does not align with the educational values of higher ed institutions. We want to teach students more than just money-making practices. R esponse: While there is nothing inherently wrong with teaching students about how to commercialize an idea, we also point out that entrepreneurship can include social entrepreneurship, or efforts focused on advancing social causes more than emphasizing financial gain. Additionally, the focus here is on teaching the entrepreneurial mindset, which includes topics not directly related to making money, such as empathy, creativity, and the appreciation of others’ expertise. P erspective: The concept of an entrepreneurial mindset is still too ambiguous. Furthermore, students who succeed will do so this (and even if we did we wouldn’t be able to had a positive impact o R esponse: We acknow entrepreneurial mindset though aspects of it (e. generating multiple solu integrated into most un curricula under the umb “fuzziness” of the topi scholarship in the area. conducted, the definitio will become more preci between it and other de be clarified. In the mea already doing well, expo defined entrepreneurial going to result in negat P erspective: As an eng not engage in many ent it is not what is rewarde tenure process. By exte an expert on entreprene qualified to teach on th business school should R esponse: Teaching is member’s role, and is o faculty are evaluated. W of the entrepreneurial m activities; it does not ne We recognize that it is p may have little to no en However, the ability to is a typical part of our students who can respo This is characteristic of lifelong learner – somet encouraging our studen includes and extends be entrepreneurship. Furth attributes contained wit mindset (e.g., creativity, with the attributes we e 18 STEPPINGUP TOTHE 3C’S Cristi Bell-Huff and Heidi Morano, Lawrence Technological University 22 KEEN LEADERS ARE ROCKSTARS 26 KEEN FRAMEWORK 8 GETTING EML OFF THE GROUND Douglas Melton, The Kern Family Foundation Sidaard Gunasekaran, University of Dayton