Dori,
I listened to a talk Thursday by Massoud Moussavi, an electronics
engineering assoc. professor at the school of technology at Johnson and
Wales University, who has been developing and studying the use of
mathemetical modeling for retraining engineers. His claim is that unlike
engineers in Europe, those in the US tend to have greater physical and
monetary resources. US engineers design and then build, by trial-and-error
(similar to the students I have observed), modifying physical prototypes.
European engineers engage far more in mathematical modeling, to understand
the behavior of the technology being designed before they build.
This was the dissertation research for Massoud to complete his doctorate at
Lesley. He has MS degrees in physics and engineering. While his work is
focussed on developing interventions, rather than psych research, you may
find what he has to say interesting.
Bill Barowy, Associate Professor
Technology in Education
Lesley College, 29 Everett Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-2790
Phone: 617-349-8168 / Fax: 617-349-8169
_______________________
"One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself
and watch yourself softly become the author of something beautiful."
[Norman Maclean in "A river runs through it."]