This fall, a new Introduction to Engineering course will launch in the Mechanical Engineering program at Eastern Michigan University. Rather than serving as a survey of the field, this course is designed as the first step in developing an engineer of the future.
At its core is a guiding idea:
Engineering is the disciplined practice of altering reality by design—and engineers are developed through engaging in that process.
A Realization-Centered Framework
The course is grounded in Mohamed El-Sayed’s Theory of Realization, which frames both engineering work and human development through stages of inception, conception, maturation, and becoming. Students experience realization not only as a process for creating solutions, but also as a pathway for becoming an engineer.
To make this actionable, the course is organized around five lenses:
- Identity & Responsibility
- Disciplined Engineering Thinking
- Development & Validation
- Accountable Engineering Practice
- Reflective Development
These lenses emphasize both what engineers do and who engineers become, providing a consistent framework across activities, discussions, and assessments.
From Exposure to Formation
Many introductory courses emphasize exposure—what engineers do or what tools they use. This course instead emphasizes formation.
Students engage in multiple realization cycles where they:
- structure problems before solving them
- develop and test design ideas
- use evidence to guide decisions
- refine solutions through iteration
In doing so, they encounter three fundamental modes of engineering activity:
- Problem Solving – altering the state of a situation
- Design – altering physical reality
- Research – altering our understanding of reality
All three involve decision-making and movement from unacceptable to acceptable states, but differ in what aspect of reality they transform.
Learning to Learn as a Core Capability
A defining feature of the course is its emphasis on learning to learn. Through structured weekly reflection and improvement planning, students develop the ability to assess their performance, interpret feedback, and direct their own growth.
This supports a critical transition:
from following instructions to becoming a self-directed learner.
Professional Practice from Day One
Students also develop habits of accountable engineering practice, particularly in team settings. They learn how to conduct effective meetings, make and document decisions, and align their work with defined criteria—skills central to professional engineering.
An Invitation
This course represents an effort to rethink the role of introductory engineering education—not as content coverage, but as the beginning of professional formation.
For faculty interested in integrating learning to learn into technical programs from the start, this approach offers a model worth exploring.