ABSTRACTS
M.F. Horstemeyer
The creationeering® paradigm offers a suggested path for an individual to progress from scientific inquiry through engineering development to a final product, and this paper introduces the associated K–PhD educational framework. This systematic approach is motivated by the Dominion Mandate in Genesis 1:26–28, whereby God calls mankind to rule and reign over the Earth. Our current K–12, undergraduate, and graduate-level learning environments are not integrated for engineering, causing a lack of knowledge in our culture of people who do not fully understand the engineering process. The systems engineering steps are defined by the following: design, analysis/synthesis, procurement/making, logistics, assembly, performance/function, sustainability, and death/recycling. The business aspects include the following: human personnel, finances, legal, sales/marketing, and management. The scientific method is employed for prototyping within the engineering “analysis/synthesis” step. The K–12 creationeering educational program is broken down into four units for K–2, 3–6, 7–9, and 10–12 grades. An example of engineering a car crash is used to illustrate the points. The undergraduate creationeering curriculum maps each course with each engineering step to provide the student understanding of each class fitting into the degree plan.
The Liberty University undergraduate ABET-accredited Mechanical Engineering Degree Program is used to illustrate the point. The graduate creationeering focus is on developing analysis/synthesis tools for prototyping. Although pieces of this holistic paradigm have been used in educational engineering programs, particularly at Liberty University, a comprehensive K–PhD program like the creationeering paradigm proposed herein has not. In essence, creationeering states: Create the prototype using the scientific method! Create the engineered product! Create the Intellectual Property! Create the business! Then we can serve mankind with the business to meet humankind’s needs.