Inspiring Innovation: Merging Pedagogical Paradigms from Engineering and Architecture:

Syracuse University, Syracuse NY

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This engineering education research award to Syracuse University will employ researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science as well as College of Architecture to investigate new approaches to improved creative problem solving. They will jointly plan, deliver, evaluate, and refine two undergraduate courses: a Statics class for undergraduate engineers and a fourth year technical elective design course for engineers which will be paired with a fourth year studio course for architecture students. One of the key aims of the project is to test the hypothesis of whether the melding of the architectural teaching paradigm and the engineering teaching paradigm will result in engineering students who are more confident in their ability to solve problems and are more creative in doing so. This project addresses ways to encourage the creation of innovative technologies and innovative ways of viewing the future. The new courses address the often heard criticism that engineers have too little hands-on training, especially early in their undergraduate years, and this situation is believed to negatively affect retention rates. Increasing the number of engineering graduates with creative problem solving abilities would supply needed talent to fill engineering jobs.