Our Approach

We integrate sociotechnical dimensions of engineering into engineering education 

Engineering has always been sociotechnical. Understanding stakeholder needs, grappling with the ethical dimensions of engineering decisions, creating sustainable solutions, working on teams, and avoiding unintended consequences are all core parts of engineering work. People and contexts cannot be separated from technical decision making and should be integrated in the education of engineers.

We partner with instructors and classrooms  

C-SED aims to bring abstract ideas into concrete practice. Part of engineering practice includes connecting students to real stakeholders and genuine contexts. C-SED works with instructors to create content that is course-specific and meets instructors’ teaching goals. Ultimately, C-SED supports integration of real-world engineering practices by creating scaffolded examples that bring sociotechnical aspects of engineering into the classroom.

We provide informed support for students 

C-SED helps students engage deeply with the socio-technical dimensions of engineering—challenging their own assumptions and recognizing their agency in shaping outcomes. Rather than simply being told what to do, students learn to think critically about complex issues through empirically supported pedagogical approaches that are respectful of their needs and development.

We emphasize the complexity of real-life decisions 

C-SED emphasizes the nuance in real-world design challenges. Working with instructors, we develop materials that ask students to grapple with the trade-offs and consequences of engineering decisions and challenge them to move beyond simplistic judgments.

These driving goals and our understanding of them will evolve as we continually learn and grow through each experience. Questions? Please contact c-sed-info@umich.edu.