Engineering education

About: Engineering education is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 24293 publications have been published within this topic receiving 234621 citations.

Freshman engineers' performance when solving design problems

Abstract: Among the major changes that undergraduate engineering curricula are undergoing is the incorporation of design into freshman curricula. While the objective is to teach design so that students learn both engineering processes and content knowledge, the open question remains: to what extent can freshman engineering students learn to do design? To date, few studies have actually assessed acquisition of design skills. This paper presents the results of one such study in which freshman engineering students were asked to solve three short design problems. Half of the subjects solved the problems at the beginning of the first semester, freshman year and the other half solved the problems at the beginning of the second semester. Results indicate that after only one semester of engineering, students show more sophistication in their design processes. However, while the quality of their problem solving approach improved, comparable improvements were not found in the quality of their designs.

Applying the ARCS Model to the Design and Development of Computer-Based Modules for Manufacturing Engineering Courses

Abstract: This paper describes how a multimedia design team at Wayne State University, working on an engineering education project funded by the National Science Foundation, incorporated Keller's ARCS (attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction) model into the design and development of a computer-based instructional (CBI) module for a college engineering course in economics. A discussion of how and why the components were incorporated into the traditional instructional design phases of definition, design, development, implementation, and evaluation is presented.

High School Student Perceptions of the Utility of the Engineering Design Process: Creating Opportunities to Engage in Engineering Practices and Apply Math and Science Content

Abstract: Research and policy documents increasingly advocate for incorporating engineering design into K-12 classrooms in order to accomplish two goals: (1) provide an opportunity to engage with science content in a motivating real-world context; and (2) introduce students to the field of engineering. The present study uses multiple qualitative data sources (i.e., interviews, artifact analysis) in order to examine the ways in which engaging in engineering design can support students in participating in engineering practices and applying math and science knowledge. This study suggests that students better understand and value those aspects of engineering design that are more qualitative (i.e., interviewing users, generating multiple possible solutions) than the more quantitative aspects of design which create opportunities for students to integrate traditional math and science content into their design work (i.e., modeling or systematically choosing between possible design solutions). Recommendations for curriculum design and implementation are discussed.

Classroom makerspaces: Identifying the opportunities and challenges

Abstract: This paper aims at introducing, identifying opportunities, presenting a vision and stakeholder driven challenges regarding the concept of classroom makerspaces. With the engineering design process at its core, the discussions are in the purview of K-college engineering classrooms. So as to provide a background and elucidate upon accomplishments to date, we first shed light on the history, elements and evolution of makerspaces. Then we present the motivation for this work rooted in educational theory and also put forth our vision for classroom makerspaces. The present day opportunities arising from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and expectations from science and engineering classrooms are then identified which serve as further motivation for this practice. The subsequent section on challenges is the result of a brainstorm by our team of engineering education researchers, who are well acquainted with the concept of classroom makerspaces and bring to the table a diverse set of experiences and knowhow from academia, education and engineering. This paper is aimed at aiding the academic community to understand these challenges and subsequently address them with future studies and practices, so as to be in a better position for inclusion of classroom makerspaces in educational institutions.

Sustainability and critical thinking in civil engineering curriculum

Abstract: This paper describes a method for presenting concepts of sustainable development to first- year civil engineering students using pedagogical techniques related to critical thinking development. Sus- tainable development is an emerging area of environmental management that is important to civil engi- neering students. The concept can be associated with most design-related projects. In addition, the development of students' abilities to think critically about engineering problems and design projects is an important educational objective. Explicit methods for developing students' critical thinking skills have been adapted for the first-year civil engineering curriculum. The development of critical thinking skills is com- bined with the coverage of sustainable development concepts in this approach. This combination was chosen because the issue of sustainable development exhibits many of the characteristics of ill-structured problems that require critical thinking. Therefore, the combination of critical thinking pedagogy and sustainable development concepts provides an important contribution to the future education of civil engineering stu- dents.