What do we know? How do we know it? An idiosyncratic readers’ guide to philosophies of engineering education

Conversations at the 2002 ASEE Conference in Montreal prompted Karl to write an Academic Bookshelf column on educational philosophy for the July 2003 issue of the Journal of Engineering Education. The column and set of recommended books have been read or browsed by many. Five years have passed and there are many new developments in the area, including conversations on the philosophy of engineering education. The purpose of this paper is to update an annotated reading list for those interested in engaging in the conversation about philosophy of education. John Heywood and Roy McGrann, co-designers and implementers of the 2007 and 2008 special sessions ldquoCan philosophy of engineering education improve the practice of engineering education?rdquo have crafted fascinating position pieces [1,2] and in this brief readerspsila guide we will try to provide complementary ideas based on selected recommended readings. Specifically we attempt to address ontology and epistemology, as well as the relationship between theory and practice.