The document discusses resources, curriculum, and learning processes for engineering students. It notes that engineering curriculum includes basic sciences, engineering sciences, and applied sciences. The successful student is motivated, takes advantage of university resources, and is interested in the engineering curriculum. Determinants of efficient learning include meaningful material, psychological state, and learning strategies like practice and summaries. Creativity is also discussed as important for engineers, with the creative process involving recognizing problems, intense focus, relaxation, illumination of solutions, and evaluation.

1. Humanities
Lecture (5)
Learning & Creative Thought

2. Reference:
 Paul H. Wright, “Introduction to Engineering”,
3rd Edition, Chapter (3)

3. The Successful Engineering Student
It is the student who determines his or her success or
failure
• The successful student
- Should have the motivation and perseverance to get
the task.
- Quickly learns how to make advantage of all resources
offered by the university to enrich the learning
process.
- Has the interest to learn the engineering curriculum.

4. Resources for Engineering students
 The teaching staff (tutoring, counseling,…)
 Library
 Computer Center
 Laboratories
 Physical education and recreation
 Culture presentations

5. The engineering curriculum include:
- Basic Sciences : serve as the foundation of an
engineering education.
- Engineering Sciences : such courses are strongly
rooted in basic sciences and mathematics providing a
bridge between basic subjects and engineering design.
- Applied Sciences : these are highly specialized courses
intended to equip the student for practice in his or her
chosen specialty.

6. The Learning Process
 Learning is a lifelong , continuous process.
 We learn not only through direct experience , but also
by watching what happens to other people or by just
being told about something .
 We receive information from various senses: sight,
hearing, smell, touch, and taste

7. Determinants of Efficient Learning
1- The material to be learned: the more meaningful the
material to be learned, the more easy it is learned.
2- The psychological state of the learner : a moderate
level of anxiety is believed to be beneficial to learning.
But extremely low or extremely high levels are
detrimental to student success.
3- Learning strategies : rehearsal is one of the most
popular strategies in learning. The more students
practice, the better they perform. Preparing
summaries. Writing answers to expected questions
…

8. Practical suggestion for learning
• Regularly attend classes and laboratory sessions.
• Be alert and listen attentively in class.
• Record points of significance for the lecture.
• Do not hesitate to seek clarification on unclear issues.
• Do your work because you want to, not because you
have to.
• Find time to relax and rest.

9. Differences in the Way People Think
In his brain dominance model, Herrmann identifies
four different modes of thinking:
A- Analytical thinking
B- Sequential thinking
C- Emotional thinking
D- Imaginative thinking

12. CREATIVITY
• Engineering is a creative profession
• Every person has creative abilities
• Use our creative potential
• “That which is used strengthens & grows
.. and that which is not used withers and dies ..” Socrates
• Nurture and develop our creativity
What is Creativity?
• “Ideas that can lead to new or modified useful concepts,
products or processes”

13. THE CREATIVE PROCESS
 Recognition of a need or a problem
 A period of intense concentration
 A period of relaxation or incubation
 The illumination, when solution suddenly appears
 Evaluation or verification of the solution

14. The Nature of Creativity
1- Creativity associated with profound and abstract
concepts (Einstein, Isaac Newton)
2- Creativity associated with the artist and writers
(inspired people)
3- Applied creativity associated with engineers and
scientists

15. PROBLEM SOLVING & CREATIVITY
• Beware of Fixation or Mental Set “The persistent
application of an inappropriate strategy”
• Previous experience or knowledge may limit the thinking
process to other possibilities
• Keep your motivational level in a balanced state
• Must be flexible and open to new ideas and strategies
• Avoid placing unnecessary constraints on the problem

16. PROBLEM SOLVING & CREATIVITY
 Search for different ways to view the problem
 Brainstorming with other team members
 Solutions from other disciplines
 Divide complex problems into manageable parts
 Intense concentration, followed by “incubation” time
 Be open to variety of problem-solving strategies