CSI/ELG/SEG 2911

Professional Practice in Engineering and Computing

Module 0: Knowledge in the Process of Practice
Professional practice is a broader topic for inclusion in engineering
and computing curricula than is usually associated with
engineering design.
Practicing professionals require a working knowledge of numerous
non‐engineering disciplines and should interact with people of
various backgrounds within a diversity of working contexts.

Riadh Habash. Professional Practice in Engineering and Computing: Preparing for Future Careers, CRC Taylor and Francis Group, 2019
Futuristic Knowledge Platforms

Future development is not just

about technology but is a synergy of
broad knowledge platforms of
engineering ingenuity, information
and communication technology
(ICT), and management. Ingenuity
means the process of applying ideas
to solve real-life problems.
Professional Identity and Practice
• The terms “professional”, “professional identity”, and “professionalism” are cited
interchangeably in education. The American philosopher Mortimer J. Adler
defined a professional as “a man or woman who does skilled work to achieve a
useful social goal. The essential characteristic of a profession is the dedication of
its members to the service they perform”.
• Professional identity is part of personal identity development. For example,
students simultaneously develop several identities, such as religious believer,
partner, citizen, engineer, and others. Identities are the meaning that individuals
hold for themselves, what it means to be who they are.
• Professionals learn and grow in various ways, and only part of their professional
growth is intentionally enhanced by professional development interventions,
programs, and activities.
Knowledge in the Process of Practice Development

Knowledge-for practice, Knowledge-in-practice, Knowledge-of-practice,

represents formal means knowledge grows through reflection
knowledge for embedded in the on the practice by using
professionals to practice process. the process of inquiry.
improve practice
through education and
lifelong training and
learning.
The Professional of 2020
• The pace of technological innovation will continue to be accelerating.
• The world will be intensely globally interconnected.
• The presence of technology in everyday lives will be seamless,
transparent, and more significant than ever.
• The population of individuals who are involved with or affected by
technology (for example, designers, manufacturers, distributors, and
government users) will be increasingly diverse and multidisciplinary.
• Social, cultural, political, and economic forces will continue to shape
and affect the success of technological innovation.
 Developmental Stages toward Professional Practice

Practice represents what professionals actually “do”

during day-to-day practice.

Performance is competence implemented, or applied

in actual practice: “show-how”.

Competence or “know-how” is the

ability, not yet put into practice, to
do something as a result of
knowledge in the presence of
experience and judgment.
The modified version of George E. Miller’s model
Nature of Knowledge and Skills for Future Professional
The “T-shaped person” is a concept popularized
by Tim Brown, CEO of design firm IDEO, which
refers to the transdisciplinary mindset.

T-shaped individuals possess deep knowledge in a primary field but

cultivate a broad curiosity about areas of expertise outside of that field.
Brown cites empathy, enthusiasm, and a readiness to collaborate as
hallmarks of the T-shaped person.
This Means
• Educational institutions should ensure that breadth of
learning, beyond the technical aspects of the specialist
discipline, is a major drive in education.
• For graduates, this means not only possessing deep technical
skills, but also having acquired broader attributes such as:
o Critical thinking skills
o Entrepreneurial mindset
o Compassion
o Written and verbal communication skills.
o Team-building Skills
o Client interaction skills
o The ability to collaborate.
Route to Professional Practice
Knowledge Acquisition
• What is a professional practice?
• Differentiate between knowledge, competence, performance, and practice in the
design of professional activities.
• What does thinking historically mean for professionals? What can they learn from
the past?
• How does one become a professional?
• How quickly are changes in work, the workforce, and the workplace happening?
• How is ICT affecting the efficiency of projects and/or project organizations? What
are the impacts of its use?
• What distinguishes engineers and computing professionals from other
professionals?
Knowledge Creation
• To the layperson, electrical engineering, computer science, computer
engineering, software engineering, information technology (IT), and
information and communication technology (ICT) may look like the same
thing. This task is to investigate the above disciplines, their relevance to
each other, and probably to other disciplines. The idea is to produce an e-
Poster that can benefit others, especially high school students when
applying to study one or more of the above disciplines. You might develop
your answer to this case in terms of reflecting on an important Canadian or
international accomplishment(s) that combines the practices of most or all
above disciplines. Include a list of well-cited reference(s) used in your
investigation.
• What is an e-Poster? An e-Poster is a digital presentation of a case under
investigation. It is made in Powerpoint, Word or any image editing
software. The content should be brief (one-PDF page that requires a
maximum of 2-minute reading), reflective, and artistic.