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