Research Initiation: Systematic Use of Simulation in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Classroom to Drive Reflection and Metacognition

University Of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

In the context of education, reflection entails thinking about what one is doing, which is necessary for learning from experience. Reflection is closely linked to metacognitive skill, or the ability to think about one's thinking processes and independently guide one's own learning during new tasks. It is widely accepted by the education community that students who reflect and develop strong metacognitive skills often become better students, learners, and professionals, since they obtain the ability to identify what they don't know (but need to learn) and how they can acquire knowledge for improvement. These are lifelong learning skills that enable self-management of necessary learning during one's career. Despite being closely linked to lifelong learning outcomes, reflection and metacognition are not skills that are regularly cultivated or practiced in the engineering education curriculum. Thus, prominent education scholars have called for more reflection and metacognition within the curriculum as well as publication of classroom studies involving their use. The problem to be addressed by this research is the development and propagation of a new method for cultivating metacognitive skills in engineering students by combining questions that promote reflective thought with computer-aided simulation tools for electronic-circuit building that can be used for problem exploration. During homework and after quizzes and exams, students will use the simulator to discover gaps in their learning and understanding of electronic circuits. Beyond the electrical and computer engineering classroom, the techniques are broadly applicable to other engineering disciplines since each has complex problems for which simulation tools are used. The impact of incorporating simulation tools within the reflective process will be studied, and the findings will contribute to the promotion of needed reflective and metacognitive practices in science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM), which will prepare students for the challenges of professional practice, for which lifelong learning skills are needed. This research aims to determine the impact of systematic, frequent reflection - using SPICE simulation with homework or after exams - on the professional formation of engineers with respect to metacognitive, reflective, and technical performance outcomes. SPICE is the de facto standard simulation environment used by professionals to predict electronic circuit behavior. This work is informed by Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory and Schons Theory of the Reflective Practitioner, which rely on "doing" as well as "reflecting on the doing" for one's learning. The key research questions are: 1) To what extent does systematic, frequent reflection, particularly involving the use of simulation, enhance students' reflective practices and technical course performance? 2) Why and how does this occur? Outcomes will be investigated for all students as well as specific demographics, including females and under-represented minorities. The research questions will be investigated by comparing the depth and content of students' reflections as well as course performance metrics under different amounts of reflective activity within the course. Thus, both qualitative and quantitative research methods will be used, in particular double-coded content analysis of reflections and analysis-of-variance statistical techniques using baseline course performance data. Student perspectives on the impact of reflection will be assessed through interviews, focus groups, and surveys. This research aims to respond to recent calls from the literature and prominent educators for: 1) formal inclusion of metacognitive skill development within the curriculum, and 2) additional scholarly publications on reflection in engineering education to propagate these skills, which support lifelong, self-regulated learning for demanding professional practice. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.