Lifelong learning: a preliminary look at the literature in view of EC 2000

ABET EC2000 and the 'ABET 11' outcomes have initiated tremendous activity as engineering schools prepare for accreditation under the new criteria. While the new process and outcomes present many challenges to engineering faculty and administrators, the outcome on lifelong learning represents perhaps the greatest challenge; it states that graduates must demonstrate 'a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning'. This outcome raises many questions including What constitutes life-long learning? How will we demonstrate that our graduates recognize the need for and have the ability to lifelong learn? And last but not least, how will we measure this attribute in our graduates? This paper summarizes the results of a preliminary literature review of lifelong learning as it pertains to engineering education and discusses plans for assessing lifelong learning of Penn State students, along with some data gathered in a survey of recent graduates.