Traditional means of engineering education focuses on transmitting conceptual knowledge to students so that they can apply such knowledge to unique situations that they will encounter in the engineering workplace. Therefore, it is important to understand how students and practicing engineers are similar and different in their knowledge and application of specific concepts. The research presented in this paper highlights several research activities and findings pertaining to conceptual understanding, reasoning, and application amongst students and practicing engineers. Results from these activities indicate that fundamental conceptual knowledge without engineering context-based application can lead to oversimplification and inaccurate applications of concepts. Implications and suggestions for engineering education based on these findings are then presented at the end of this paper.
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