Bringing global connectivity into the engineering technology classroom

As manufacturers expand operations into international markets, the need for effective global communication increases. Advances in telecommunications technology, including developments in wide area networks (WANs), can greatly improve methods of business communication, particularly when workers are adequately trained in both the basic concepts and practical applications of this new technology. Engineering technology (ET) programs can address this need by providing students with realistic applications of global telecommunications technology. This paper describes an interuniversity project that provides students with practical experience in global telecommunications through application of the Internet to several manufacturing-related problems. Through a series of classroom and laboratory exercises, manufacturing and information technology students use telecommunications technology to solve problems with partners in remote locations. Although the exercises involve manufacturing applications, project concepts could be extended to other FT disciplines.