Developing Flexibly Adaptive Skills through Progressive Design Challenges

This research study explores the potential of using a progression of design challenges in a studio setting to develop students’ ability to adapt to solving complex challenges. Engineering design blended with challenge-based instructions (a model of project based instruction) provides an excellent model of instruction for obtaining multiple learning outcomes associated with developing content knowledge, innovation skills, project management strategies, professional skills (communicating, teaming, leadership) and disposition for sustained inquiry. Many first year engineering programs provide design challenges for teams to work on during the term (for example). However, sometimes these challenges may be too large to allow all team members to engage in the design process deeply. Further, instructors cannot observe teams in action during their design process, which makes it difficult to provide feedback. Nor can they assess teams’ workflow process as they transfer what they learn into knowledge needed to define a solution. Over the past two years we have used a collection of small design challenges at multiple times of the year to help teams practice and reflect on their processes of design, teaming and project management. These two hour design sessions engaged learners in a short conceptual design around an interesting problem. After each session the students reflected on their process and then discussed as a class. A self-report survey was used to evaluate students’ perceptions of their process. Students report a positive increase in their team’s ability to manage their processes. In addition they report being more confident in approaching challenging design activities like the larger class projects. This paper outlines principles for constructing an effective design experience for undergraduate engineering education that co-develops design skills and the professional skills associated with a productive team’s workflow and effective communication of