Cultural Studies in the Engineering Curriculum

Several studies concerning industrial design, technology and engineering learning have been conducted on students in Hong Kong. The findings indicate that the students are weak in problem finding (that is, the identification of needs or problems). The absence of cultural studies was found to be one of the main factors limiting the development of the level of insight and understanding needed to identify problems. All of this further limits the ability of students to exercise critical judgement in other learning activities. By reviewing the findings of the case studies in Hong Kong, this paper tries to point out that cultural studies should serve as one of the key foundations for engineering students to make critical judgements in their future educational endeavours and careers. This paper then discusses the importance of incorporating cultural studies in the engineering curriculum in a more organised and regular way instead of only as optional activities, and identifies key activities, contents and elements of cultural studies in the curriculum. In the last section, discussing Kissock's ten-stage decision-making model, this paper suggests how a more flexible and dynamic teaching and learning arrangement can be developed for cultural studies in the curriculum.