Using a Psychometric Instrument to Help Match Students' Preferences for Design Projects

• In Event: 63.086 - Sheraton Roundtable 11 - Osgoode Ballroom
  In Roundtable Session: 63.086-1 - Division C Section 1e Roundtable 3

Abstract

Given that design is a defining activity for engineers, it is widely adopted as a means to introduce students to engineering. While there are numerous benefits derived from industry-sponsored projects, there are also drawbacks. In an effort to better understand how industry-sponsored projects can be effectively integrated into the first-year level engineering design courses, our team is developing and adapting assessment instruments for use in design project-based learning settings. The developed instrument will assess salient project characteristics' impact on student learning, engagement, and performance. More specifically, the instrument will assess factors influencing the appropriateness of an industry-sponsored design project in terms of disciplinary domain relatedness, ambiguity of the project, and gender orientation on student efficacy.

Authors

• Kathy Jackson, PA

• Gul Kremer, Iowas State

• Xinli Wu