A whole new mind for a flat world

Name: Course: Lecturer: Date: A whole New Mind for a Flat World Key Point Evolution has been a basic component within various world affairs and structures, and additionally within various disciplines due to the varying character of the society. A flexible pattern and approach to such situations is necessitated towards coping with the changes accorded, or else one has to face the consequences that are accorded to an inflexible nature to the evolutionary concept. Notably, most of these variances are infused by technological progression and unless the populace aligns to the changes, it would lead to personal redundancy whose main effect is reflected within the job market. Summary Richard Felder’s A whole New Mind for a Flat World offers a succinct insight with regard to the preceding premise by focusing on the redundant nature of the engineering discipline and the adverse impacts to the affected learners in terms of market positioning.

The publication is loosely divided into two main sections, with the initial one according an imaginary introduction into the topic, through an interview on an engineering student for a work opportunity with Consolidated Industries. The graduate, referred to as Allen, clearly exhibits to the interviewer, Ms Marcher, his skewed expertise as evidenced by a high proficiency within his engineering major with a lack of interest within the social academic disciplines. The interview is then concluded in a less promising instance for Allen’s consideration. The second section of the article comprises of the discussion where Felder presents a pragmatic argument primarily targeting engineering lecturers with regard to the retrogressive nature of the engineering curriculum dating as far as the period 1960s to the present. Notably, the curriculum has majored on developing the left side of the brain by focusing on mathematical functions for the intellectual function. The social subjects on the other hand have accorded preeminence on the right hand side of the brain and this has proved over the years to be beneficial with the advent of the computer technology. This is because, the computer as a business toll has accorded a nearly perfect substitute to the mathematical functions that the engineering career is based on.

Unless this conventional approach to the engineering subject is reviewed, Felder notes that many students will continue facing the same challenge as Allen does as evidenced within the interview, leading to frustrations. The largest liability towards structural conversion within the learning curriculum therefore is hinged on the learning instructors for the adequate preparation of engineering students to fit within the changing employment world. Response The publication was pleasurable in reading due to its informative content and the arrangement of the discussion, with a higher bias towards the interview section. This is attributable to the nature of the subjective language employed as it accords a high level of pragmatism to the discussion making it easy for me as the reader to identify with. As the article was very convincing due to this fact, it was easy to agree with Felder’s main premise on the nature of the society and the requirement for proper adjustments as coping instances.

Change is an inevitable function within most life aspects and systems as they mostly indicate growth, whether positive or negative. As change is initiated, it also imparts various changes that require coping for survivals purposes or facing the risk of insignificance due to the incompatibility of the new and old systems. For instance, various computer programs are being released as advancements to the populaces and unless one updates the new version on the machine, it remains with the old programs that are inhibited from performing some functions. The credibility of the publication is based on the realistic supports given within the discussion. Two of the references employed are journals as evidenced in the resources section according credibility in the discussion; it is from one of these journals that Felder has acquired the social nature of the business entities being instituted in the nations of China and India. Secondly, credible icons within the engineering discipline are mentioned in the study as according a similar view to the discussion: Olin, Rose-Hulman and Rowan as renowned lecturers in Colorado School of Mines. With the article being a formal publication intended for engineering intellectuals, Felder employs apposite language and grammar that fits the targeted readers. This is evidenced by the lack of informal words like colloquial phrases and contracted words that would infuse an informal perspective in the article.

Additionally, the author quotes an equation in the discussion to infuse an element of engineering sense within the discussion. The article is easy to comprehend as accentuated by the structure that begins with an introduction section with the interview before the relevance of the given part is accorded within the discussion. The use of bullets and paragraphs aids the reader in identifying various points within the publication making it easier to interact and comprehend the information. The information accorded in the publication is conclusively relevant to me as noted in two instances.

First, Felder notes that the greatest inhibitor to the implementation of a relevant learning system is that individuals generally resist transformations due to the comfort factor. This has been evidenced in my schooling life, mostly on a yearly basis as new lecturers are accorded to the various subjects within a curriculum. I have noticed that in this transition, the initial opposition is based on the comfort created by the first instructor, as it tends to contrast with the new lecturer. The second issue as highlighted by Felder is that social skills are a significant asset within the working environment. This is a succinct observation as I have realized the same within the learning setting as evidenced by ethnic and national diversities in classes necessitating healthy socializing capabilities for relating purposes. With trading activities being based on socializing, it is therefore a viable consideration in both instances.