Transforming Statics Instruction through the Creation and Evaluation of Efficient and Effective Practice Experiences

University Of California-Riverside, Riverside CA

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 the University of California-Riverside will employ researchers to systematically explore how students learn problem solving skills and advance beyond superficial understanding. It will develop well-defined principles for designing efficient and effective practices for the development of expertise in engineering statics, a fundamental engineering course. The project begins with an in-depth analysis of the background and preparation of a diverse student population. The team will conduct continued formative assessment with inexpensive pen-based technology to capture student answers to a problem, as well as the dynamic process by which the solutions were obtained to gain important insights into students' thought processes. A course in statics is often the most substantial introduction to engineering for engineering students, especially for those who ultimately pursue a civil or mechanical engineering major. Problem solving methods learned in this course influence success in more advanced courses, and this can have a strong impact on student retention. The results of this innovative research will advance general understanding of how students learn to solve complex problems and will lead to better preparation of engineering students for engineering jobs after graduation.