Turkish Journal of Forestry (Dec 2017)
Teaching of engineering design in forest engineering program: An evaluation of situation and improvement possibilities in Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University
Abstract
Engineering design is a systematic, intelligent process in which designers generate, evaluate, and specify concepts for devices, systems, or processes whose form and function achieve clients’ objectives or users’ needs while satisfying a specified set of constraints. The designer must combine different disciplines dealing with engineering area in a designing process. In general, forest engineers may not produce devices but plan some processes and generate artificial systems in Turkey. According to criterion set for accreditation, engineering program must prove that alumni can design at least a product or process by using basic sciences, techniques and social or economic principles learned from different courses in the program. At the education period of 2011 – 2012, two new courses, Engineering Design I and II, have been agreed upon in Forest Engineering Division. Principles of Teaching Rules for Engineering Design I and II have been prepared. After first education period, important problems were observed in the design of the courses and teaching approach. The document on teaching principles was mainly revised. The aim of this study is to discuss the teaching approach of engineering design. Official documents, 92 evaluation reports and products generated by students in the courses were investigated. As a result, it is seen that engineering design have focused on investigation of any subject in forestry. Principles in official documents have important weakness for teaching process on design and could not integrate different disciplines of forestry sciences under a design process. Reports generated by students in the course could not prove to reach design competence in forestry.
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