Engineering Thinking I will give you an opportunity to explore and identify why the engineering is essential to the modern world. You will come to know how engineers draw on scientific knowledge, research techniques, technical know-how, skills and collective experiences as well as societal facts and values to solve problems of any size or complexity. Within the interplay of these factors, many life-changing decisions and engineering solutions cannot be made using only calculations but require sound thinking and justifications based on often incomplete information.  

With the global challenges of the world becoming more complex, engineers should be prepared to become solvers of “wicked problems”, which are not well-structured and cannot be solves with a single correct answer. Engineering design is the process you will explore and engage with throughout this module to provide you with the opportunities to better understand the thought processes and techniques that underpin the engineering practice of problem-solving and creating solutions. Sustainability, social responsibility and ethics, as well as entrepreneurial thinking are central themes that are aligned with the core engineering thinking concepts introduced in this module. 

This module provides an “active” learning experience for you to work collaboratively with other students each week in tutorials set out to guide you through solving a real-world socio-technical problem/project. Alongside the project tutorials, is a seminar series that explores key concepts aligned with how engineers think and are successful in their professional practice, which will form the basis for your reflective practice in this module. 

Intended Learning Outcomes 

Upon completion of this course, students will be familiar with engineering thinking and techniques that underpin engineering design and practice and the ways in which they can be used together to form a powerful tool for sustainable and innovative design and problem-solving in the real world. This will involve learning to: 


	Describe the role of engineering in modern society 
	
	
	Use creative thinking, critical engineering analysis and decision making to design an appropriate solution to a sustainability-driven problem 
	
	
	Integrate engineering standards, professionalism, practical know-how and scientific knowledge in implementing an engineering project 
	

	Research the state-of-the-art of engineering practices and innovation for consideration of your own engineering solutions 
	
	
	Engage with creative design and thinking practices that are reflexive, socially and ethically informed 
	
	
	Develop your teamworking skills and seek out leadership opportunities from collaboration with colleagues. 