Magnanti on MIT's 'Learning by Doing' Imperative

Magnanti on MIT's 'Learning by Doing' Imperative

John Dodge, Editor-in-Chief -- 3/5/2008 11:36:00 AM

Visit our Engineering Education Coverage Page for more stories, photos, podcasts and in-depth statistics! Thomas L. Magnanti, Ph.D, was dean of MIT’s engineering school for eight and half years until midnight July 22. The day before, he tossed out the ceremonial first pitch at a Red Sox game because he wanted to do it as engineering dean. Currently, he is one of 14 Institute Professors at MIT, the school's most prestigious, and has been on the faculty since 1971. He is an expert in applied and theoretical aspects of large-scale optimization. Among many accolades, he is credited with starting several new majors and programs. He is a big fan of “learning by doing.” DN Editor-in-Chief John Dodge caught up with him recently in his office, four floors above MIT’s main and fabled thoroughfare, the “Infinite Corridor.” ... Q: Is there a crisis in engineering education today? Magnanti: There’s a national crisis in conveying the fact that engineering is inspiring and exciting to attract people [into it]. We also have large drop-out rates. Last I recall, 50 percent of all engineering students leave that program before they complete it. It’s really hard stuff. We have not made it exciting enough. Q: What do you think the answer is? Maganti: [The answer is] putting what we are teaching in context and providing programs like UPOP and more hands-on learning – project-based courses, internships and learning by doing. Over time, that will remedy the crisis. The National Academies issued a report, The Gathering Storm and found the right incentives, courses, curriculum and government policies [will] improve the system. ... http://www.designnews.com/article/CA6538130.html