Engineering of Self:Engineering of Self:A Radical Constructivist Approach to A Radical Constructivist Approach to

Engineering EducationEngineering Education

Carlos VignoloCarlos Vignolo

2010 World Engineering Forum2010 World Engineering ForumSingapore, 17-21 October 2010 Singapore, 17-21 October 2010

FIRST MOVEMENT: FIRST MOVEMENT: THE ACADEMIC ARGUMENTTHE ACADEMIC ARGUMENT

THE CHALLENGETHE CHALLENGE

•Innovation is not an easy task, particularly in conservative organizations as is the case with universities. Much more difficult when innovations challenge “scientific” paradigms.

Few institutions are so conservative as the Few institutions are so conservative as the universities about their own affairs while their universities about their own affairs while their

members are so liberal about the affairs of others”members are so liberal about the affairs of others”

Clark KerrClark Kerr

THE PROYECTTHE PROYECT

• Twenty-five years ago, a process of pedagogical innovation was started in the Industrial Engineering Program at the University of Chile, based on Biology of Cognition and Radical Constructivism.

•The main innovation introduced in compulsory and elective courses was and obsessive focus on student’s self design and management of the learning process.

• Awareness of the role of emotions, moods, paradigms and focus of attention in the learning process and in the invention of the self are central part of this pedagogical approach.

TUNING INNAME: DATE: 1. What are your moods (or emotions) at the beginning of this session? Select three from the following list or add other distinctions___ Enthusiasm ___ Interest ___ Confusion___ Acceptance ___ Peace ___ Restlessness___ Ambition ___ Resentment ___ Gratitude___ Expectation ___ Resentment ___ Skepticism___ Confidence ___ Apathy ___ Anger___ Indifference ___ Tranquility ___ Impatience___ Curiosity ___ Preoccupation ___ Prudence___ Hope ___ Happiness ___ Anxiety___ Euphoria ___ Resignation ___ DistrustOTHER: _____________________________________

2. Do you think these are good moods to obtain the best from this session? If not, What can you do here and now to improve them?

3. What Interests, Breakdowns and Worries will you bring to the construction of this session?

4. What question or proposal would you like to make now to the facilitator?

PARADIGMS

IDEALSVALUES EMOTION

S & MOODS

FOCUS OF ATTENTION

ACTIVE LISTENING“OBSLISTENING”

REALITY

LEARNING

INNOVATIONLEADERSHIP

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF ACTIVE LISTENING AND BUILDING REALITY

RESULTSRESULTS

•Good evaluation of the Introductory “Soft” Course: 6.1 vs. 5.8 Average for all courses (2001 to 2005) (Grading system from 1.0 to 7.0)

•Good assessment of former students of the course with 50% High and Very High evaluation of Impact of the course in their training.

• An increase in the number of courses and credits with a constructivist and entrepreneurial approach. From an average of 10 “hours course” per year in the 80’s to 35 in the 90’s to 55 since 2000

  

  

RESULTS

•Learning centered courses have increased students’ willingness and ability to initiate and conduct a wide variety of ambitious and relevant projects, such as:

-The reactivation and empowerment of the Industrial Engineering Student Union

- The “Construyendo MisSueños” (Building my Dreams) program aimed at a coeducational process between students and low income micro entrepreneurs. 100% invented and run by students.

- The “World Class” Annual Meeting of Industrial Engineering students from all over the country (Chile)

FINAL RESULTSFINAL RESULTS

•Industrial Engineers Rank Top 1 in Chile in prestige and salaries and they have leading positions in industry, public institutions and politics.

•The constructivist student centered approach is expanding to other spaces of the School of Engineering.

INTERPRETATION OF SUCCESS

1.Robust Theoretical basis for innovative proposals: Biology of Cognition, Radical Constructivism, New Tendencies in Management, Innovation Theory.

2.Long Term Horizon

3.The 10 P´s Entrepreneurial Approach ( Passion & Purpose, Patience & Perseverance, Plastic Planning, Priority & Practices, Prudence & Power)

4.Internal Engineering based Leadership

Interpretation of Success

5. Focus on Students Self Design and Management Learning avoids pressure on research oriented academics to improve their learning capabilities,

6. A tradition of respect and promotion of pluralism and critical, autonomous and pioneering thinking at Faculty and Department level.

and, most important than all that:

6. An emotional, cultural and political understanding of innovation

SECOND MOVEMENT: SECOND MOVEMENT: THE CONSTRUCTIVIST PROVOCATIONTHE CONSTRUCTIVIST PROVOCATION

OBJECTIVES OF THIS SECOND MOVEMENT OBJECTIVES OF THIS SECOND MOVEMENT

-PROVOKE YOUPROVOKE YOU

-TAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT TAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONEZONE

-MAKE A MODEST CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE A MODEST CONTRIBUTION TO OPEN YOUR EYES, MIND, HEART AND OPEN YOUR EYES, MIND, HEART AND

SPIRIT TO ATTEND THE URGENT NEED TO SPIRIT TO ATTEND THE URGENT NEED TO INNOVATE IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND INNOVATE IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND

IN OUR LIVES IN OUR LIVES

DO NOT TRY TO UNDERSTANDDO NOT TRY TO UNDERSTAND

DO NOT PLACE YOURSELF IN THE DO NOT PLACE YOURSELF IN THE POSITION OF AGREEING OR POSITION OF AGREEING OR

DISAGREEING DISAGREEING

JUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE JUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE PROVOKEDPROVOKED

THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED IN THE THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED IN THE MIDDLE OF A PARADIGM MIDDLE OF A PARADIGM

REVOLUTION REVOLUTION

PROVOCATION 1

•Innovation is not an option but just…Innovation is not an option but just…¡ Evolution in the Human Space of Self ¡ Evolution in the Human Space of Self Consciousness! Consciousness!

•RevolutionRevolution is Human Innovation in periods of deep is Human Innovation in periods of deep and rapid changes like the ones that we live today.and rapid changes like the ones that we live today.

¡Today we need revolutions in our ¡Today we need revolutions in our institutions and in our lives!institutions and in our lives!

PROVOCATION 2

•Globalization, Digitalization, Biologization, Globalization, Digitalization, Biologization, Easternization and other profound changes Easternization and other profound changes are making Western Traditional Paradigms are making Western Traditional Paradigms obsolete.obsolete.

•We are living a Paradigm Revolution: The We are living a Paradigm Revolution: The Third (and final !) Great Crisis of Western Third (and final !) Great Crisis of Western Civilization.Civilization.

PROVOCATION 3

Aristotelian Essencialism,Aristotelian Essencialism,Cartesian Racionalism, Cartesian Racionalism,

Friedmanian IndividualismFriedmanian Individualism

Are structural obstacles to built societies and Are structural obstacles to built societies and educational systems that allow human beings to be educational systems that allow human beings to be free and creative, to live their Passion and sense of free and creative, to live their Passion and sense of Mission. They hamper ENTREPRENEURSHIP and Mission. They hamper ENTREPRENEURSHIP and INNOVATION.INNOVATION.

They made ACCEPTANCE, RESPECT and LOVE They made ACCEPTANCE, RESPECT and LOVE an impossible dream.an impossible dream.

PROVOCATION 4

A Radical Constructivist Approach is a good A Radical Constructivist Approach is a good philosophical platform to establish a new philosophical platform to establish a new

Human Paradigm:Human Paradigm:

It allows us to set love and peace and all the It allows us to set love and peace and all the eternal values of humanity in the center of lifeeternal values of humanity in the center of life

““Let's establish love as a supporting point and Let's establish love as a supporting point and we will move mankind towards humanization”we will move mankind towards humanization”

PROVOCATION 5

Human Beings are Socially Produced!Human Beings are Socially Produced!

That is the reason why Engineering of That is the reason why Engineering of Education, Human Engineering, Social Education, Human Engineering, Social Engineering and Engineering of Love Engineering and Engineering of Love

will be the most relevant engineering in will be the most relevant engineering in the Third Millennium the Third Millennium

The Tree of Knowledge The Tree of Knowledge

H.Maturana y F. VarelaH.Maturana y F. Varela

PROPOSITION 6“Eastern Cultures are ancestrally constructivist”

“The essence of innovation is to re-create the world according to a particular ideal or vision. To create new knowledge means quite literally to recreate the company and EVERYONE in it in an ongoing process of PERSONAL and organizational self renewal”

The Knowledge Creating CompanyNonaka, I., Takeuchi, H. 1995

PROPOSITION 7“Western Management is going into a Humanistic

Revolution”Let’s learn from that process!

“The term “breakthrough leadership”, as we define it, is multivalent – it points in several directions at once. Certainly, it involves breaking through old habits of thinking to uncover fresh solutions to perennial problems. It also means breaking through the interpersonal barriers that we all erect against genuine human contact.”

Harvard Business Review, Special Edition, Dec. 2001

Managing Oneself Peter Drucker

5th Level Leadership Jim Collins

Meaning, Not Money Guy Kawasaki

The Enpathic Civilization Jeremy Rifkin

My questions for you?

1. What is the main resistance you have to face to accelerate innovation in Engineering Education in your academic institutions?

2. What are you doing to overcome that resistance?