Degree Type
Creative Component
Semester of Graduation
Spring 2020
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
First Major Professor
Mani Mina
Degree(s)
Master of Science (MS)
Major(s)
Electrical Engineering
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The ability to empathize provides the basis to understand others, an often-overlooked professional skill in engineering curriculums. Studies have shown that engineering students have less empathy after completing their degree than when they had entered. Having low amounts of empathy in engineers can result in less concern for public welfare and social considerations during the engineering design process.
Purpose
In this work, we consider when engineering students are entering an empathetic cycle. Most studies develop a model based on an educators’ perspective and how empathy is a teachable and learnable skill. This study examines how engineering students can enter, sustain, and improve their cycles of empathy.
Design/Method
A qualitative approach is taken to compare and contrast the end-of-semester reflections from
students in engineering and design. Coding, an ethnographic research method used to find thematic patterns and similarities throughout documents, is used to analyze end-of-semester reflections from students who have taken courses in electromagnetism for electrical engineers, electromagnetism for non-electrical engineers, and an industrial design course with a focus on engineering and technology literacy for designers.
Results
We propose a multi-cycle model of empathy in engineering that identifies self-awareness as the first step to empathy through the cycle of inquiry. Our model incorporates existing models of empathy in design, and empathy in engineering that introduces mode switching.
Copyright Owner
Shannon, Rachel Ann
Copyright Year
2020
File Format
Recommended Citation
Shannon, Rachel, "Designing a multi-cycle approach to empathetic electrical engineering courses" (2020). Creative Components. 550.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/creativecomponents/550
