Research Initiation Grant: Can Makerspaces Develop Undergraduates' Research Creativity and Innovation?

这项工程教育研究启动补助金旨在进行一项研究，以了解非正式工程学习环境对学生创造力和参与度的影响。 这项研究让工程学院和非正规教育专家参与进来，研究参与这些环境的长期好处。该项目的更广泛的意义和重要性将有助于探索培养创新和创造性工程师的方法，这些方法可能对未来的工程劳动力产生巨大影响。 所提出的模式，如果成功的话，可以广泛出口到其他机构，并吸引广泛的工程专业学生。 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为社会创新的目标是通过为教育政策和实践提供信息来创造对社会有用的结果和研究。

This engineering education research initiation grant seeks to conduct a research study to understand the impact of informal engineering learning environments on students' creativity and engagement. The study engages both engineering faculty and experts in informal education in looking at the long term benefits of engaging in these environments. The broader significance and importance of this project will be to help explore ways to develop innovative and creative engineers that can have potentially large impact on the future engineering workforce. The model proposed, if successful, may be broadly exportable to other institutions and engage a wide spectrum of engineering students. 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 creating results and research that are useful for society by informing educational policy and practices.