IEEE Standards Education

IEEE Standards

Education

Steve Mills

IEEE Standards Association

IEEE Educational Activities Board

A Career Commitment

The IEEE in a glance

z IEEE is a professional association focused on scientific and technical goals

z Established 1884 in preparation for a Franklin Institute

Exhibition in Philadelphia

z …directed toward the advancement of the theory and

practice of electrical, electronics, communications and

computer engineering… computer science …and allied branches of engineering and arts and sciences

IEEE Today

z

Largest technical professional association

in the world

z Over 365,000 members

z More than 70,000 students z Sections in 150 countries

z

Facts:

z Incorporated in New York state z Headquarters in Piscataway, NJ z Newest office in Beijing, China

z

Approximately 1000 Staff members

1-6

8

10 9

Development of Standards

The IEEE’s Standards Association

develops and maintains standards in a

broad-range of industries, including:

z Power and Energy

z Computing and Communications z Industrial Applications

z Transportation

IEEE’s key interests in

Education about Standards

z TryEngineering.org

z Teacher In-Service Program

z At the university level

z Development of curricula z Accreditation criteria

z Providing an “entry point” to the world of standards

z At the post-university level (continuing education)

z Familiarizing engineers with the standard development

Target Audiences

z Candidates for licensure

z Experienced technology professionals z Standards developer z Product developer z Standards manager z Marketing professionals z Business leaders z SSO/SDO

Academic Disciplines

The General Objective

z

Objective: Define a role for standards in

mainstream education for

z

Engineers

z E.g., telecomm, biomedical, electrical, power

z

Computer scientists

IT professionals

Some of the hurdles…

z Many academics and practitioners do not understand the

centrality of standards in the discipline

z Standards are seen as the opposite of creativity in design z In many curricula economic constraints, legal constraints,

compliance and interoperability are considered secondary

z ..and sometimes absent

z Techniques and devices based on standards are often

taught with little or no regard to standards

z …taught without referring to the standardization infrastructure

z Many graduating students have never seen a standard, do

not know how to tackle one or find one

z Standards are often not used in “capstone” projects of

ABET Engineering Criterion 5 –

Curriculum

z

Students must be prepared for

engineering practice through a curriculum

culminating in a major design experience

z

…based on the knowledge and skills

acquired in earlier course work and

incorporating

appropriate engineering

standards

and multiple realistic

ABET Engineering Technology

z Aeronautical Engineering Technology

z “Associate degree programs must demonstrate that

graduates can apply the following principles…: “

z “Technical expertise in…industry standards, regulations and

documentation”

z Drafting/Design Engineering Technology

z “Graduates of baccalaureate degree programs…must

demonstrate…competency in the application of current codes and standards”

z Similar statements in criteria for Nuclear and

Computing: ABET Information

Systems Program Criteria

z

“Curricula are consistent with widely

recognized models and standards”

z

Information Technology

z

“An understanding of best practices and

Additional Hurdles…

z Industry technical professionals often assume that standardization is performed by large

corporations and the government

z Professionals complain that information about

standards updates never gets to them

z It is often difficult to understand interrelationship

between standards

How do we address the challenges:

university curricula

z

Development of

instructional material

on

key standards for use in the

undergraduate engineering, computing,

and engineering technology classroom

z

Material that can be used by the current

teaching staff and can be integrated into

existing topical classes

How do we address the challenges:

accreditation of academic programs

z

Accrediting bodies

need to clarify the

degree to which understanding and use of

standards are expected in

engineering/computing/technology

programs

z In the US the current ABET accreditation criteria are often too vague and hence unenforceable

z

A clear accreditation requirement would

How do we address the challenges:

licensing

z

US: Several Principles and Practice Exams

require familiarity with standards

z National Electric Code for EE exams

z Design Standards for Civil and Structural Engineering exams

z

The question of wider use of

design-oriented standards deserves additional

discussion

How do we address the challenges:

Continuing Education about Standards

z Standards are of growing significance to industry z Further suggests the importance of

introducing standards to students and into curricula

z Practicing professionals need to understand how to use standards

z Understanding the culture and process of standards setting is critical

z Resources and options for face-to-face and online learning are needed

Some of IEEE’s current activities

Developing a

policy paper

on the role of

Standards in academic programs in

Engineering, Technology and Computing

z Part of the work plan of the IEEE Standards Education Committee

z

Will state the desired role of technical

standards in the academic curriculum

z Programs in engineering and computer science

z

Will be used in model curriculum

University Level Education

IEEE’s current activities…

z Access to IEEE Standards

z About 450 schools worldwide have full access to IEEE standards through the IEEE/IET

Electronic Library

z About 10 schools make use of this feature…

z Providing free educational content online through

Standards Education web portal

University Level Education

IEEE Standards Education Portal

http://standardseducation.org/

University Level Education

IEEE Standards Education Portal

http://standardseducation.org/

z

Development funded in part by the US

National Science Foundation

z

Aims to provide university educators and

students with opportunities to learn how to

read standards and understand them

z

Supports the incorporation of the teaching of

standards in the undergraduate engineering

and engineering technology programs

University Level Education

http://standardseducation.org/

z Provides free online tutorials and case studies z Standards, their applications, and their impact on

designing new products, processes, and services

z Offers IEEE Mini-Grants for students and faculty advisors for graduate and capstone design

projects with an industry standards component z Contains useful content for practicing

professionals

University Level Education

IEEE’s current activities in

Continuing Education about

Standards

z

Delivering Face to Face Workshops/Seminars

z For practicing professionals who need to understand how to use standards

z Standardization process

z General education about standards

z Specific standards or family of standards z Developing a Standards Lecturers Program

Standards Education for Practitioners

z

IEEE Expert Now modules on standards

z IEEE’s main continuing education platform z A collection of 1-hour long on-line learning

modules

z Developed by leading experts

z Usually on the basis of conference workshops z Professionally produced

z Easy to use player-viewer, audio and video files, diagrams, animations, and automatic place marking

First Expert Now Standards Courses

z Introduction to IEEE Std 802.11™ z IEEE P802.11n MAC Layer

z IEEE P802.11n PHY Layer

z Introduction to IEEE Std 802.15™ z Introduction to IEEE Std 802.16™ z Home Networking Standards

http://www.ieee.org/web/education/Expert_Now_IEEE/index.html

Final Thoughts…

z It may be useful to get the major players in standards education together in the same meeting for a working session

z Deans z Industry Leaders z Accreditation Agencies z Governments/Departments of Education z Standards Organizations z Licensing Bodies

Final Thoughts…

z IEEE welcomes participation and partnership in our activities

z Standards Education Committee z Content providers/partners

z Invitations for Standards Lecturers or Speakers

z At colleges, universities, or companies z Workshop and Seminar opportunities

IEEE Standards Education

Contacts

z

Steve Mills, Chair, Standards

Education Committee (SEC)

[email protected]

z

Jennifer McClain, Standards

Education Program Manager