Recruitment of Civil Engineering Students in Germany: Shortage or Overflow?

Speed and diversification of technological as well as political development change the prediction of whether there will be a shortage or overflow of civil engineering students in Germany. In order to answer this question as satisfactorily as possible the interested reader will be provided with some of the latest data, as well as with the main traits of the German system of engineering education. Even though this brief communication only deals with civil engineers, many of the conclusions are also true for other relevant disciplines in German engineering. To what extent there will be a change in the ‘engineering system 2000’—only introduced in 1989—in the German Democratic Republic or, even more importantly, to what degree there will be a joint venture building industry in the two German states can only be guessed at. In any case there is a second momentum besides that of the European Market of 1993 which will strongly influence the recruitment and demand of civil engineering students in Germany.     

Fostering constructivist communities of learners in the amalgamated multi‐discipline of social studies

This paper shows how the knowledge structures and traditions of the amalgamated multi‐discipline of social studies at once help and hinder the use of constructivist instructional models. I interpret the planning process of two ‘Fostering a Community of Learners’ units and examine how these two units are implemented by four teachers, given their domain‐specific knowledge and modes of thinking. The data suggest that the pragmatism of social studies, as well as the idea of multiple perspectives constituting social scientific and social studies knowledge, makes this field a prime candidate for constructivist modes of thinking and the design of expert and jigsaw sequences. But the weak relationship of the subject to referent disciplines and the pragmatic reliance on proven activities makes for weak conceptual synthesis in the teaching units.     

Social Equity and Prosperity: Thailand Information Technology Policy into the 21st Century

This forum presents Thailand's National Information Technology (IT) Plan and comments on the plan by three international experts: Seymour Goodman, Heinrich Reinermann, and G. Russell Pipe. The plan, which was prepared for Thailand's National IT Committee by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center, is striking for its explicit consideration of social as well as economic goals in its specific objectives and implementation proposals. Agenda item 1 of the plan is to ''Invest in an Equitable Information Infrastructure: To Enhance Human Ability and Enhance Life Quality.'' Implementation of the plan is proceeding well, although somewhat more slowly than anticipated, and support for the original goals and objectives remains strong.