APPENDIX B
LIFELONG LEARNING IN ENGINEERING
WEB-BASED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Note: The target respondents for the web-based interviews were thought leaders who represented key stakeholders and were individually identified by the organizing committee with input from the National Academy of Engineering.
INTRODUCTION
Dear <Name>:
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is conducting a study to understand the lifelong learning needs and experience of engineers and computers scientists.
We are referring to learning for the (engineering) professional, who is working and doing a good job, but is doing so in a rapidly changing world. The learning is dynamic and integrative and includes opportunities that are specifically intended to deepen and broaden the engineer’s knowledge and skill sets. This is broader than the typical interpretation of “lifelong learning” which frequently includes adult learning and vocational courses that are offered for updating, certifying, or retraining the engineer in order to obtain or retain her employment.
As a part of this study, we are conducting web-based interviews with the goal of identifying and defining strategies to establish a strong national policy and framework for lifelong learning. This includes understanding the roles of different stakeholders and the importance of lifelong learning and its evaluation.
You have been selected as a thought leader representing key stakeholders in achieving and sustaining the right level of lifelong learning to give us your input on this important matter.
You do not have to complete this survey if you do not wish to do so. All interviews will be processed by the ATLAS unit at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. If you have questions about the interview, please contact Maryalice Wu (malice@illinois.edu; tel: 217-333-9776).
Your opinions are important and I hope you will participate in the interview. During the interview, you will be given the option of subscribing to receive a link to the final report that will be published in fall 2011.
Thank you for your help,
Charles M. Vest
President
National Academy of Engineering
QUESTIONS
We would like to use quotations from your responses in a report that will be available publicly in fall 2011. Do you give us permission to do so?
1. Yes, you have my permission to use attributed quotations from my responses.
2. Yes, you have my permission, but only if they are attributed to “Anonymous.”
3. No, you do not have my permission to use quotations from my responses in your report.
Questions:
1. How much do the leaders and members of the engineering profession understand the need for continuous learning to remain effective in today’s rapidly changing world? What could be done to bring about increased awareness?
2. What should be the objectives and focus of a national policy on lifelong learning for engineers?
3. Beyond ensuring grants and individual scholarship, how should the federal government be involved in lifelong learning?
4. What role should employers play in meeting the lifelong learning needs of their employed engineers?
5. Beyond ensuring licensure and/or certification, how should professional societies contribute to the lifelong learning of engineers?
6. How can educational institutions effectively contribute to the lifelong learning of engineers? What, if anything, should they be doing differently?
7. Are there any differences in the way that for-profit and nonprofit educational institutions can contribute to the lifelong learning of engineers? Are there things that nonprofit institutions can do better than for-profit institutions, and vice versa? Please explain.
8. What is the importance of evaluation in a lifelong learning program? What measures would you use to evaluate the success of a lifelong learning program in increasing the preparedness of the engineer?
