The Evolution of an Engineering Problem Solver

这个工程教育研究项目将帮助一个工程教师和教育研究人员团队计划收集长期数据，以了解明尼苏达州学生学习独特课程的变化。 该铁范围工程计划从社区学院借鉴，并从事学生在一个自我导向的，基于项目的学习课程，涉及需要聘请工程师的当地行业。 这个项目更广泛的意义和重要性将是调查在美国很少实施的替代课程模式的有效性。 铁范围工程模型有可能作为一个模型的学生群体谁是代表性不足，在大多数工程项目或谁希望建立在以前的现实世界的经验，在获得工程学位。 该项目与NSF的战略目标重叠，即通过准备一支具有新能力和专业知识的工程队伍来改变前沿。 此外，NSF通过支持创新学习系统的发展，实现了为社会创新的目标。

This engineering education research project will help a team of engineering faculty and educational researchers plan to collect long term data to understand changes in student learning for a unique curriculum in Minnesota. The Iron Range Engineering program draws from community colleges and engages students in a self-directed, project-based learning curriculum that involves local industries that need to hire engineers. The broader significance and importance of this project will be to investigate the effectively of alternative curricular models that have rarely been implemented in the United States. The Iron Range Engineering model has the potential to serve as a model for groups of students who are under-represented in most engineering programs or who desire to build on previous real-world experiences in obtaining an engineering degree. This project overlaps with NSF's strategic goals of transforming the frontiers through preparation of an engineering workforce with new capabilities and expertise. Additionally NSF's goal of innovating for society is enabled by supporting the development of innovative learning systems.