Students' Conceptions of Engineering Design: An Exploratory Study in Engineering Capstone

• In Event: 53.082 - Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: 53.082-3 - Special Topics in Engineering and Computer Science: Engineering Design, Computational Thinking, and Assessment

Abstract

In this paper we reviewed students’ conceptions of engineering design principles enrolled in a senior capstone course at a large Western university. One hundred and two students completed a survey that captured their conceptions of engineering design and how engineers use design. A qualitative content analysis of student responses identified five overarching themes. This gave us insight into what students’ preconceived notions of engineering design are. This also helps us determine if our findings are in tandem with what prior research suggests.

Authors

• Swati Mehta, Michigan State University

• Aman Yadav, Michigan State University

• Ashlie Martini, University of California - Merced