The communication revolution and its effects on 21/sup st/ century engineering education

The communication revolution that began in the latter portion of the 20/sup th/ century has brought a new focus on communication to 21/sup st/ century students both in and out of the classroom. In the classroom, student communication is rapidly increasing through the application of active learning strategies and cooperative learning. No longer are students expected to learn in isolation. Outside the classroom, technology has brought the classroom to the student in a variety of ways now centered on the World Wide Web. Students have access to e-mail and information 24-hours a day and are often expected to collaborate and communicate with classmates in design teams and on homework. This paper explores the nearly all-encompassing focus on communication as a cornerstone in the education of today's engineering students.