A Curriculum Revision Plan Utilizing an Adaptive Control Model

1 Electrical and Computer Engineering Department The University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC 28223 Abstract  . Innovative approaches in engineering system design have led to well established methods to deal with many unpredictable situations. As a result, one often hears terms such as adaptive optics, adaptive control, smart materials, intelligent sensors, or actuators. Furthermore there has been a constant drive toward the development of computers that can predict and adapt. Although the adaptive approach has been a major success in engineering design, the engineering programs in many institutions have remained rigid and, in some situations, have failed to adapt engineering education to the continuous technological expansion. This has resulted in an engineering curriculum that may not address the current job market and industrial demands. An adaptive mechanism for selection and modification of courses and curriculum is needed to deal with the dynamics of technological growth and industrial expansion. A self-correcting system is proposed that allows continuous changes in courses and curricula to match the technological advancement and subsequently, increases the employment opportunities in expanding industries. In this approach, rigid curricula structures are replaced by concentrations of courses whose content and frequency of offering follow established and well known adaptive approaches in engineering. The major adaptive approaches that are considered include Gain-scheduling, Self-tuning, and Model Referencing. All these methods have been applied successfully to numerous engineering applications. A proposed adaptive model for curriculum development is presented. This model provides a mechanism that continuously samples the outcome, measures the educational demands, and produces corrections in course and curriculum. Such an approach allows the introduction of new information into the curriculum, while maintaining content directed toward the major objective of engineering program.