Engineering Success

Ping HsuAssociate Dean College of Engineering SJSU

What kind of success are we talking about here?

To be successful professionally.

To become a successful engineer.

To have a successful engineering career.

I need to _____?_____ while in school so I can be a successful engineer after graduation.

1. Gain technical knowledge

2. Develop soft skills --- communication, teamwork, leadership, social skills, interpersonal skills, professionalism, sense of responsibility, dependability, maturity, confidence,…..

Technical knowledge vs. Soft skillsWhich one is more important ?

Soft Skills!!* Technical knowledge is a minimum

requirement.

What (if anything) can I do now? I am only a freshman.

Soft skills development is part of the process of maturity and human development (i.e., growing up).

It takes time, willingness, intent, and being in the right environment to foster such development.

Developing new behavior

You can do a lot by the end of today! – Make new friends– Form a study group– Offer to help– Ask for help– See your professor– Study – ……….

What about technical knowledge?

The same behavior that will make you successful professionally after graduation, will make you a successful student now.

So, make some positive changes and start the transformation today!

This is your first, last and the only chance!

Key Themes

Community building

Academic development

Professional development

Personal development

Orientation

1. COMMUNITY BUILDING

1A. Socialization—Each student in the class knows every other student in the class.

1B. Group building—Students have a strong sense of group and are committed to a high level of mutual support.

1C. Human relations training—Students have the interpersonal skills necessary to interact with each other in a positive and effective manner.

2. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2A. Motivation—Students are highly motivated through a clear understanding of the rewards and opportunities success in engineering study will bring to their lives.

2B. Understanding the essence of engineering—Students can give an articulate response to the question "What is engineering?"

2C. Global awareness of engineering—Students are aware of the various academic disciplines and job functions of engineering.

2D. Industry practice—Students are aware of the various engineering majors and of how engineers are utilized in each of these sectors.

2E. Professional student organizations—Students recognize the value of actively participating in student organizations, particularly those related to their chosen profession (ASME, ASCE, IEEE, etc.) and seek to take on leadership roles in those organizations.

2F. Ethics and professionalism—Students are aware of good ethical and professional practice and engage in such practice at all times.

3. ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

3A. Time on task—Students manage their time so as to devote an appropriate amount of time and effort to studying and are operating under the principle that they master the material covered in each class period before the next class period comes.

3B. Interaction with peers—Students make effective use of their peers by frequent sharing of information and by regularly engaging in group study and collaborative learning.

3C. Interaction with faculty—Students interact regularly with their professors both in the classroom and outside of it, positively and with benefit.

3D. Campus resources—Students are aware of and make optimal use of campus resources (e.g., writing center, counseling center, health center, library, placement center, etc.).

3E. Time on campus—Students are aware of the importance of being immersed in the academic environment so that they can take full advantage of the resources available to them, and therefore spend as much time on campus as possible.

3F. Other study skills—Students are aware of and practice good study skills in other areas (e.g., note taking, test taking, etc.).

4. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

4A. Understanding of self—Students' personality traits, learning styles and brain dominance have been assessed using standard instruments, and they have a strong understanding of themselves as unique individuals.

4B. Self-confidence and self-esteem—Students feel good about themselves and their situation, and are confident in their ability to succeed academically.

4C. Self-assessment—Students have clear goals and have a plan for their personal development based on a self-assessment of their strengths and weaknesses.

4D. Wellness and stress management—Students engage in good health and wellness practices and know how to manage stress through stress-reduction methods.

4E. Respect for and interaction with others—Students value and respect differences in people and interact effectively with people of all cultures, ethnicities and genders.

4F. Management of personal life—Students are effective in managing the various aspects of their personal life, including interaction with family and friends, personal finances, work load, etc.

5. ORIENTATION

5A. College of Engineering—Students understand the organizational structure, facilities, resources and regulations of the college of engineering and make effective use of them.

5B. University—Students understand the organizational structure, facilities, resources and regulations of the university and make effective use of them.

Top 5 objectives

#1 Socialization (Objective 1A)—Each student in the class knows every other student in the class (at least by first and last name)

#2 Motivation (Objective 2A)—Students are highly motivated through a clear understanding of the rewards and opportunities success in engineering study will bring to their lives

#3 Time on Task (Objective 3A)—Students manage their time so as to devote an appropriate amount of time and effort to studying and are operating under the principle that they master the material covered in each class period before the next class period comes.

#4 Interaction with peers (Objective 3B)—Students make effective use of their peers by frequent sharing of information and by regularly engaging in group study and collaborative learning.

#5 Interaction with faculty (Objective 3C)—Students interact regularly with their professors both in the classroom and outside of it, positively and with benefit

Mistakes Students Make

Assume engineering study will be like high school Program themselves for failure through too many commitments Spend little time on campus Neglect studying Delay studying until test is announced Study 100% alone Come to each lecture unprepared Avoid professors Cut classes and/or don’t get the most out of lectures Fail to take notes; or take notes but fail to use the notes properly in the

learning process Skim over the material in an assigned chapter to get on with the

homework problems Fail to solve assigned problems. Don’t approach problems using a systematic problem solving method

Negative Attitudes That Inhibit Success

Weak commitment to goal of graduating in engineering Unrealistic view of what’s expected (e.g.,

overconfidence, naiveté) Low self confidence Lack of self worth (i.e., tendency to sabotage their

success) External “locus-of-control” (i.e., adoption of victim role) Negative view toward authority figures

Negative Attitudes That Inhibit Success (continued)

Unwillingness to seek help Resistance to change (e.g., personal growth and

development) Tendency toward procrastination (e.g., negative view

toward time management) Avoidance of areas of weakness or perceived

unpleasantness (e.g., written communications, interpersonal interaction, chemistry)

Reluctance to work with other students (i.e., avoidance of group study)

Teamwork

Benefit of Working in Teams

Accomplish projects an individual cannot do – Most engineering projects are too large or too complex for one individual to complete alone. Imagine trying to build the Golden Gate Bridge all by yourself!

Brainstorm More Solution Options - Different people looking at the same problem will find different solutions.

Detect Flaws in Solutions - A team looking at different proposed solutions may also find pitfalls that an individual might miss.

Build a Workplace Community - Members of effective teams can form personal bonds which are good for individual and workplace morale. In the university setting, students on teams may form bonds which extend beyond the classroom.

What other benefits do students get from teamwork?

Exposure to different points of view - As students are exposed to methods and ideas that other students have, they learn different ways of approaching a problem.

Critical Thinking and Evaluation Skills - Students must use these skills to evaluate the complex issues of team project goals and to formulate appropriate solutions and plans.

Conflict Resolution Skills - Yes, teams have conflicts, but students can develop the skills to facilitate solutions to conflicts so that the team remains functional.

Students may do more academic work - Some students may accomplish more in order to keep up with the rest of the team.

Communication Skills - A team relies on communication among members.

– Actively and effectively listen to their team members to understand their ideas and concerns.

– Effectively articulate their ideas or their concerns to others.

– Provide genuinely constructive feedback to team members

Team Dynamics

Full Participation - All team members contribute their time and energy to the project. More importantly, all team members participate in the decision making process. Having a dominant leader may work for the very short term, but will eventually lead to morale problems later on.

Team Dynamics

Trust - Members trust that each member will add value to the project, and members work to ensure that everybody does contribute and that appreciation is expressed for different contributions.

Team Dynamics

Open Communication - The main glue that holds a team together. Communication is effective when all members:

– Listen actively. – Ask questions. – Awareness of body language and tone. – Appropriate humor. – Some chit-chat in meetings. – Patience.

– Give constructive feedback:

Don't express an opinion as a fact Explain your reasons Restate the original idea to be sure it's understood Compliment another's idea Respond, don't react Don't interrupt Critique the idea, not the person Be courteous Avoid jargon

Team Dynamics

While equal contribution from each member is ideal, a true equal division of work may not be always possible.

Doing more than your ‘fair’ share of the work is an opportunity to demonstrate your ability and commitment.

A team’s success is measured by the achievement of the team as a whole. -- Nothing can justify an intentional act that negatively impact the achievement of the team. Examples:

– I don’t want to share that information because I spent a lot of time to find it.

– I don’t want to do that because that is his job.

Team Organization

Define a common goal for the project. List tasks to be completed. Assign responsibility for all tasks. Develop a timeline. Develop and post a checklist. Set up a central repository for all electronic files. Maintain a central archive for all communications. Post or send all team meetings. Send reminders when deadlines approach. Send confirmation when tasks are completed.

Keep in mind that:

Working in a team does NOT mean that you work as a team.

Teamwork does NOT just happen. Team skills need practice and development. A team’s success is measured by the

achievement of the team as a whole. Industry values teamwork more than an

individual’s ability to contribute.

Acknowledgement

This presentation is adopted in part from the following web pages:

Student success:http://www.discovery-press.com/catalog/studyengr/instructorsguide.doc

Team Dynamics:

http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/