Innovative Writing Assignments in Engineering to Enhance Learning, Thinking and Motivation

Three benefits of incorporating writing in engineering curricula are presented. The first benefit is in improving the communication skills which are essential for engineers and are attained through practice. The second benefit is in enhancing learning and is achieved by utilizing the complex process of writing to heighten the level of understanding. The third benefit, though difficult to recognize and even more difficult to promote in a society (and educational institutes) steeped in the behaviorist tradition, is in promoting meaningful learning by cultivating motivation internal to students themselves. The boundaries of writing activities are broadened to include that of stating a paragraph or even one complete sentence such that it may be incorporated in engineering without undue strain. A two-year trial of incorporating four types of writing assignments in six different courses (a total of 12 classes) at Michigan Technological University shows that writing assignments can be designed to achieve different degrees of the three aforementioned benefits. It is found that different types of writing activities need to be assigned depending on the status of course (elective vs. required) and on the composition of the students taking the course (upper division vs. lower division; majors vs. non-majors).