Theoretical Foundations For The Foundation Coalition Core Competencies

The Foundation Coalition was funded in 1993 as the fifth coalition in the National Science Foundation's Engineering Education Coalitions Program, and is currently in the seventh year of a ten-year project. The member institutions have changed since its formation and now include Arizona State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Texas AM these seven pedagogical theories are referred to as the core competencies of the Foundation Coalition. The seven core competencies are 1) curriculum integration, 2) cooperative and active learning, 3) teamwork and collaboration, 4) technology-enabled learning, 5) assessment-driven continuous improvement, 6) recruitment, retention, and graduation of women and underrepresented ethnic minorities, and 7) management of change. Once proposed as core competencies, the Foundation Coalition must answer at least one question. What are the theoretical foundations that suggest these seven core competencies will positively impact engineering education? The paper will review the literature to provide the theoretical foundations that indicate increasing abilities in these seven core competencies will positive impact engineering education.