Using Constructivist Teaching Strategies in Engineering Education: Gauging the Impact on Student Learning and Retention

本工程教育提案的目标是通过将建构主义模式纳入部门课程来改革工业工程（IE）。该项目将探讨以下研究问题：(1)建构主义教学法是否提高了工科学生理解课程概念、学习解决问题和创造性地应用课程材料的能力；(2)建构主义教学法是否提高了女性和未被充分代表的少数族裔在工程专业的保留率？目标是：(1)在南佛罗里达大学（USF）工业与管理系统工程（IMSE）项目的一系列核心课程中确定解决问题和与创造力相关的结果；(2)根据建构主义学习原则对这些课程进行改造；(3)将这些改造后的南佛罗里达大学工程项目课程教授给试点群体；(4)检查学生成绩、保留率和态度的差异；以及教师对那些选择建构主义和传统课程的人的看法，(5)创建一个过程来指导教师根据经过验证的建构主义学习原则开发（或改进）大学课程，(6)在全国范围内传播项目发现。该项目将从工程概率与统计开始，这是该序列中的第一门课程。pi将在工程教育的一系列目标课程中进行课程分析，重点是解决问题和创意/设计内容和活动。从试点课程的结果将用于通知未来的课程修改，如：概率运筹学，生产控制，和工业统计/质量控制。该项目将深入了解学生如何更有效地学习工程（包括创造力），以及遵循建构主义学习原则构建课程的过程。

The objective of this engineering education proposal is to revamp the Industrial Engineering (IE) by incorporating a constructivist model into the departmental courses. The project will address the following research questions: (1) Do constructivist pedagogies increase the ability of engineering students to understand course concepts, learn problem solving and creatively apply course material; and (2) do constructivist pedagogies increase the retention rate of women and underrepresented minorities in engineering? The objectives are to: (1) identify problem solving and creativity related outcomes in a sequence of core courses in the Industrial & Management Systems Engineering (IMSE) program at the University of South Florida (USF), (2) revamp these courses following constructivist learning principles, (3) teach these revamped courses in the engineering program at USF to a pilot cohort, (4) examine differences in student outcomes, retention and attitudes, and faculty perceptions between those who took the constructivist versus traditional courses, (5) create a process to guide faculty in developing (or revamping) university courses based on proven, constructivist learning principles, and (6) disseminate project findings nationally.The project will begin with Engineering Probability and Statistics, the first course in the sequence. The PIs will perform a curriculum analysis with emphasis on problem solving and creativity/design content and activities across the series of targeted courses in engineering education. Results from the pilot course will be used to inform future modifications to courses such as: Probabilistic Operations Research, Production Control, and Industrial Statistics/Quality Control. This project will result in insights into how students can learn engineering (including creativity) more effectively as well as a process for structuring courses following constructivist learning principles.