Mathematics Learning Outcomes for Engineers in an Age of Excel, MATLAB, etc: Some Observations and Thoughts

Having spent a career in industry, about a decade ago, I looked forward to the prospect of teaching courses on Design of Experiments, Statistical Process Control, and statistics.I was then and still am impressed with the enthusiasm, aptitude and accomplishments of the students I teach, whether they be at a university or at a technical conference.Overall, I believe that the students of today are much better prepared for the world of engineering than I was at their age.However, in teaching them over these past few years, I have uncovered some weaknesses in their math skills, that I had initially missed.These weaknesses, I believe are the result of the availability and use of power math tools, such as Excel, MATLAB, MINITAB, etc.This paper is not to suggest that these tools are not useful, on the contrary, they form a foundation for modern engineering and science.However, their availability and power may be some of the cause of the math weaknesses I observed.This paper also does not suggest that these students are less able or hardworking than in the past.As a result of these observations, I am now teaching my senior/graduate level statistics courses by adding some assignments in which the students perform calculations by hand, and yes even with slide rules.This paper will review what I have learned from this experience and some thoughts on how to address this engineering education need for today's students.