PFE: Research Initiation - Using Digital Badging and Design Challenge Modules to Develop Professional Identity

PFE：研究启动 - 使用数字徽章和设计挑战模块来发展职业身份

• 批准号: 1544233
• 负责人: Abhaya Datye
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: University of New Mexico
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-11-01 至 2017-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1544233&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PFE; Research; Initiation; Using; Digital

Students entering engineering schools generally have a very limited understanding of what engineers do in their careers. Students often do not know the interesting work that lies ahead, hence they may drop out of engineering when they encounter the difficult math and science courses in their early years in college. This dropout rate disproportionately impacts those underrepresented in engineering because they may not have family members who are engineers and who can help them gain an appreciation for engineering careers. To address this problem, the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at the University of New Mexico (UNM), which serves a very diverse population, is introducing 'Design Challenge Modules' in two core classes. These design challenges will originate from research projects in the department, from local industry, from national laboratories, and from the community. Community engagement is critically important for attracting diverse, native, and rural populations into engineering. The department is also piloting the use of digital badges - much like merit badges - which allow students to publically display their credentials and connect what they are learning to the professional work of engineers. The badges also enable faculty to monitor and assess student outcomes and to engage in research on their teaching. The project is directed by a team that includes the chair of the CBE department, one lecturer in CBE, and a faculty member from the Learning Sciences.This project addresses the significant decrease in the fraction of minority and non-traditional students at UNM in the graduating class, compared to the students in the freshman engineering class. The team is testing the hypothesis that compelling design challenges introduced early in the curriculum will help increase the fraction of students matriculating into the chemical engineering department. Research and societal challenges will be introduced into the classroom because their value in terms of enhancing the motivation and learning of students is unquestionable. It is well known that there is significant attrition in engineering during the first two years, especially at urban institutions that serve a diverse population. Design challenges in the freshmen and sophomore classes could help enhance the motivation and learning of the diverse student population and contribute to student success. Local industry will participate in presenting the design challenges, encouraging entrepreneurial thinking. Engagement in the communities will further support improved recruitment and retention. The project will also test the use of a digital badging system to monitor student accomplishments. Digital badges support students to see the program as coherent and to connect what they are learning in their classes to the work of professional engineers, supporting them to develop professional identities as engineers. The project is guided by a research framework that involves a mixed methods design that first establishes a baseline for students' design process skills, understanding of design, and intent to persist. Case studies of students' experiences provide deeper understanding of how particular aspects of the program foster professional engineering identity formation and intent to persist, particularly for students traditionally underrepresented in engineering. Regression modeling is used to predict students' intent to persist and the degree to which their solutions to design challenges are viewed as innovative. The project contributes new understanding of how to engage faculty to support diverse students to be successful in engineering. It will lead to sustained change in the teaching of core chemical engineering classes including the ability to prepare diverse engineers ready to solve the challenges of tomorrow. The design challenge modules and digital badges are transferrable to many intermediate to large institutions.

进入工程学校的学生通常对工程师在职业生涯中所做的事情的了解非常有限。学生通常不知道未来的有趣工作，因此，当他们在大学的早期遇到困难的数学和科学课程时，他们可能会退出工程学。这种辍学率不成比例地影响工程领域的代表人数不足，因为他们可能没有工程师的家庭成员，并且可以帮助他们对工程职业的赞赏。为了解决这个问题，新墨西哥大学（UNM）的化学与生物工程系（CBE）服务人口非常多样化，正在两个核心课程中引入“设计挑战模块”。这些设计挑战将源自该部门的研究项目，本地工业，国家实验室和社区。社区参与对于吸引多样化，本地和农村人口的工程至关重要。该部门还试行使用数字徽章（就像优异徽章一样），这使学生能够公开展示自己的证书并将他们所学习的内容与工程师的专业工作联系起来。徽章还使教师能够监视和评估学生的成绩并从事教学研究。该项目由包括CBE部门主席，CBE的一名讲师以及学习科学的一名教师的团队指导。该项目涉及少数民族和非传统学生在UNM中的大幅下降。与新生工程课的学生相比，毕业课。该团队正在测试以下假设：课程初期引入的引人注目的设计挑战将有助于增加入学到化学工程部门的学生的比例。研究和社会挑战将被引入课堂，因为它们在增强学生的动力和学习方面的价值是无疑的。众所周知，在最初的两年中，工程学的损失很大，尤其是在为多样化人口的城市机构中。新生和大二课程的设计挑战可以帮助增强学生群体的动力和学习，并为学生的成功做出贡献。当地工业将参与提出设计挑战，鼓励创业思想。参与社区将进一步支持改善招聘和保留率。该项目还将测试使用数字徽章系统来监视学生成就的使用。数字徽章支持学生认为该计划是连贯的，并将他们在课堂上学习的内容与专业工程师的工作联系起来，并支持他们发展作为工程师的专业身份。该项目的指导下是一个研究框架，该研究框架涉及混合方法设计，该设计首先建立了学生的设计过程技能，对设计的理解以及坚持不懈的意图。对学生经验的案例研究提供了对该计划的特定方面如何促进专业工程认同形成和持续存在的意图，特别是对于传统上在工程领域的人数不足而言。回归建模用于预测学生的持续存在意图以及其设计挑战的解决方案被视为创新的程度。该项目对如何吸引教师支持多样化的学生取得成功的工程学有了新的了解。这将导致核心化学工程课程的教学持续变化，包括准备准备解决明天挑战的各种工程师的能力。设计挑战模块和数字徽章可转移到许多中级机构。