Specialty areas can wait for graduate school. That's why it's there. In terms of his own classroom, Gross sees no less of a revolution. It took a lot of time and trouble to calculate by slide rule in the sixties, and there were a lot of formulas we had to remember. Our knowledge base is constantly doubling . . .
New tools change philosophies and ways of doing things.
Computers are remaking classroom instruction as well, Gross adds. Gross points to revolutionary new approaches to engineering education that go beyond the computer as well. We need to graduate students who can talk not only to their fellow engineers, but to the public beyond. I think that we need to do this by stressing communications skills within engineering classes, not just externally through courses in the English department. It's not an 'either or' thing where you can decide to concentrate on engineering or English . . .