Investigating Middle School Students' Communication During Collaborative Engineering Design Challenges

• In Event: 31.092 - Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: 31.092-4 - Learning Sciences SIG Poster Session

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how middle school students meet communication challenges associated with collaborative design activity and to understand students’ perceptions of their collaborative processes. Using design-based methodology, we instigated a three-day design-reflect-design experience for three classes of eighth-grade students (N=164). Relying on students’ open-ended responses, we explored the creative collaboration of eighth-graders engaged in engineering design activity. In particular, we were interested in students’ perceptions of how they negotiate communication goals and problems. Understanding student perceptions of their communication patterns can help educators and learning scientists design strategies to improve peer-to-peer communication and enhance design learning in engineering and science learning contexts.

Authors

• Mia De La Rosa, Alhambra Elementary School District

• Michelle Jordan, Arizona State University

• Francisco Gonzalez, Arizona State University