Work in progress - Student representations and conceptions of design and engineering

Micah Lande, Larry Leifer

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

To get at students' conceptual understandings of design and engineering activity, a group of graduate engineering students were asked to perform a series of drawing tasks. A group of first-year master's students in Mechanical Engineering enrolled in design project courses at Stanford University were asked to generate a concept map of their "typical design process" at the beginning and end of their course. Students were also asked to draw a designer at work and an engineer at work, along the lines of the Draw-a-Scientist Test. Initial findings from qualitative content analysis indicate that the concept maps of design process mature over time along a consistent learning trajectory. Students also have distinct but complimentary models of the roles of a designer and engineer along two emerging themes: idea generation vs. idea implementation and human-centered design vs. technology-centered. These intermediate results point to further study in this area.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication39th Annual Frontiers in Education Conference
Subtitle of host publicationImagining and Engineering Future CSET Education, FIE 2009
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2009
Event39th Annual Frontiers in Education Conference: Imagining and Engineering Future CSET Education, FIE 2009 - San Antonio, TX, United States
Duration: Oct 18 2009Oct 21 2009

Publication series

NameProceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE
ISSN (Print)1539-4565

Other

Other39th Annual Frontiers in Education Conference: Imagining and Engineering Future CSET Education, FIE 2009
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Antonio, TX
Period10/18/0910/21/09

Keywords

  • Concept maps
  • Design process
  • Draw-adesigner test
  • Draw-an-engineer test

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software
  • Education
  • Computer Science Applications

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