Empowering Students with Engineering Literacy and Systematic Problem Solving through Interactive and Cost-Effective Games

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)This engineering education research award to Rowan University and Camden Community College will employ researchers to develop virtual reality games to improve students' reading comprehension and problem-solving abilities. The two-dimensional virtual reality theme based game system will infuse engineering literacy into lower division core electrical and computer engineering courses. The games will be designed to demonstrate problem solving methodology, allow collaboration, and track student performance. The games will simulate design challenges, such as power grid simulations, in a broader more realistic context than simple laboratory exercises, and this setting of technical concepts in a context of social issues may increase interest in engineering and student retention. Because this research addresses fundamental skills needed by all engineering students in a game format that is comfortable for most students, it has the potential to significantly improve student reading and problem solving abilities and better prepare students for advanced study and engineering jobs.