Fundamentals in civil engineering and computers-a freshman course

The authors describe how Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), USA, through a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, has initiated a curriculum revision project which focuses on improving the teaching quality and faculty and student productivity in introductory level mathematics, science, computer science, and engineering courses. The objective of this project is to re-emphasize the commitment of the undergraduate program to critical thinking, cooperative group learning and problem solving, the integration of knowledge through projects, and student responsibility for learning. This objective strives to build upon the foundation set over twenty years ago with the creation of the WPI Plan and its emphasis on project-based learning in the upper level undergraduate curriculum