ENGGEN 140 : Fundamentals of Engineering in Society

Engineering

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An introduction to chemistry and biology as applied to solving fundamental engineering problems from first principles using conservation laws and with appropriate consideration for uncertainty. Problems will also be addressed from a social perspective, considering the environment, the Treaty of Waitangi, social license to operate, and the role of professional engineering skills in the community and society.

Course Overview

ENGGEN 140 (Fundamentals of Engineering in Society) addresses the links between science and engineering by reviewing key concepts from the sciences (chemistry and biology) and demonstrating how they can be used to solve engineering problems. While the engineering entry requirements require that all engineering students have had exposure to physics prior to starting the programme, chemistry and biology are also key disciplines that lend engineers knowledge and skills vital to solving a wide variety of problems. Beyond this, it is also important for professional engineers to be adaptable in learning new knowledge from a variety of sources and disciplines and applying it to their work. ENGGEN 140 is intended to introduce this practice.

A key part of this practice is understanding and working with knowledge: What forms of knowledge do we have access to? What sources give us that access? How much do we trust those sources? How do we use knowledge when we aren't certain about it? This knowledge comes from both technical sources and our wider society, includes indigenous knowledge, and must be used to solve problems in the context of that wider society.

The course is structured in three main parts. In the first part, we cover fundamental concepts used to represent and communicate scientific knowledge, and how these concepts are used in engineering practice. In the second, and largest, part, we use this conceptual base to introduce key topics in chemistry, and their engineering applications. In the third part of the course, we build upon both the conceptual base and the chemistry skills to introduce key topics in biology, and the way engineering can be applied to these biology topics to solve practical problems.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Critically evaluate information from multiple different sources, both technical and non-technical, regarding a single engineering topic. (Capability 3.2 and 4.1)
  2. Effectively use standard scientific conventions to describe physical quantities and their uncertainties. (Capability 3.1 and 6.1)
  3. Formulate and solve engineering problems using the principles of conservation of mass and energy. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
  4. Formulate and solve engineering problems related to chemical reactions, using the fundamental principles of chemistry as well as conservation of mass and energy. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
  5. Formulate and solve engineering problems involving ideal gases. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
  6. Discuss and describe the social and historical context of chemistry and biology in engineering. (Capability 1.1 and 8.1)
  7. Explain and critically evaluate the structure and function of the human body in engineering terms. (Capability 3.1)
  8. Solve engineering problems involving medical devices. (Capability 3.1, 4.1 and 8.1)
  9. Learn effectively as part of a peer group, both sharing their own insights and seeking clarification where needed. (Capability 7.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Tutorials 5% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 35% Individual Examination
Tests 35% Individual Test
Assignments 10% Individual Coursework
Reports 15% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Tutorials
Final Exam
Tests
Assignments
Reports

Students must sit the exam to pass the course. Otherwise, a DNS (did not sit) result will be returned.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 36 hours of lectures, 11 hours of tutorials, 78 hours of understanding and practicing the content (including preparation for tests and exams), and 25 hours of work on assignments. You should try to spend this time spread out through the semester, aiming for about 10 hours each week; note that an assignment will be due each week.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete components of the course. Tutorial participation is compulsory and assessed.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Tutorials will not be recorded.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

This course uses an electronic coursebook, and will involve some additional required readings. The coursebook will be made available to all students via Canvas at the start of the course. All required readings will be available electronically via the university library and/or Canvas.

Health & Safety

Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Health and Safety section of the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.

Tutorials will take place in multi-disciplinary learning spaces (MDLS); students will be required to complete an online health and safety induction prior to coming to the first tutorial session.

Some lectures will include demonstrations that may involve loud noises, bright flashes of light, and/or unusual odours. Some lectures and lecture materials may also contain photographs depicting surgical procedures and blood. Your lecturer will advise you prior to the start of the lecture if any of these hazards will be present, and attendance during such demonstrations and viewing of such photographs will not be compulsory.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

The course offering in 2024 will be consistent with the 2023 content, in line with 2023 student feedback.

Other Information

Constructive student feedback is important for the optimisation of this course. All ENGGEN 140 teachers and course co-ordinators strive to tackle the challenges of large classes of 1,000+ students and create an effective and engaging learning environment every time. Feel free to talk with your teachers after class about what elements of their teaching you appreciate most to make sure teachers know what works best for most.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Students must have completed ACADINT A01 by the end of Week 1 to engage fully in the ENGGEN 140 writing assignment.

In this course, students are prohibited from using generative artificial intelligence text and art generation software, such as ChatGPT and DALL.E 2, on their assessments. You are expected to complete your assessments without substantial assistance from others, including automated tools.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Stage 1 engineering students elect their class reps within the first two weeks of the semester, following an invitation via a Canvas announcement. The outcome of the election and the contact details of the class reps will also be communicated via Canvas.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

To help ensure an inclusive learning environment for all, the classroom environment must be respectful, friendly, calm and quiet. This environment allows everyone to get the most of each lecture. For example, hard-of-hearing students can focus on the lecture without being distracted by background noise from chatty student groups in the back.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Please use the contact form linked on the ENGGEN 140 Canvas homepage to submit your application for an extension on coursework.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

ENGGEN 140 offers three lectures and one small-class tutorial per week. Instructors look forward to working with students in these settings and expect students to participate actively and responsibly.

Marking assignments for a very large number of students is a significant challenge for staff. Students are therefore asked help by submitting any questions about their grades NO MORE THAN 10 days after grades were published. 

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 26/10/2023 09:39 a.m.