Moving beyond a quick-fix: Revolutionizing engineering education at Penn State´s Leonhard Center

The overriding purpose of the Leonhard Center is to achieve revolution in engineering education through innovation, implementing creative ideas that add value to students´ educational experience. The current Leonhard Center Strategic Plan embraces a three-phase approach for the revolution. First, the Center seeks to re-orient the curriculum to focus on design as a primary engineering activity. Secondly, the plan calls for widescale use of instructional methods that will promote active learning experiences for students. Faculty would take on new roles as facilitators in the educational process, encouraging students to become more self-directed in their learning. Finally, the Leonhard Center will endeavor to develop students´ leadership skills in a professional context, preparing them to become technically-educated leaders in their careers and in society