Research Initiation Grant: Writing to Learn Engineering: Identifying Effective Techniques for the Integration of Written Communication Into Engineering Classes and Curricula

熟练掌握技术写作是工程专业毕业生非常理想的属性，提高本科工程专业学生的沟通能力有助于提高美国技术人才在日益全球化的工程市场中的竞争力。该项目通过直接解决与将基于写作的教学技术纳入传统技术课程相关的挑战，来满足工程领域对提高沟通技能的需求。更具体地说，该项目的目标是开发，验证和传播高影响力，可扩展的技术，将写作融入现有的工程课程和课程。该项目特别寻求解决常见的计算机水平的挑战，往往排除了在工程课程中的写作。这个项目主要集中在所需的，大讲座的工程课程，写作通常不会发生，并存在足够的机会来培训教师实施简单的，可扩展的写作活动，练习和相关的评估。这项研究将涉及系统的调查，这些活动如何可能提高学生的写作和课程特定的技术技能的学习。该项目还将调查多个机构的教职员工，以评估当前对工程写作的态度，同时从教师和机构的角度确定最具可扩展性和可持续性的写作干预措施。拟议的项目汇集了一个跨学科的团队，具有跨多个学科和活动领域的高度互补的专业知识，包括工程（土木和电气/计算机），技术交流，积极和体验式学习以及工程教育研究。该项目提出了在其他情况下已被证明有效的写作干预措施的创新应用，其目标是改造工程核心课程，以提高参与学生的技术能力和写作技能。在工程教育中更加强调写作也可以扩大代表性不足的群体（特别是妇女和语言少数群体）的参与和提高其保留率，包括帮助将构成目前工程课程的大部分内容的技术课程和专题结合背景并使其更具相关性。

Proficiency in technical writing is a highly desirable attribute for engineering graduates, and improvement of communication skills among undergraduate engineering students can help enhance the competitiveness of U.S. technical talent in an increasingly global engineering market. This project responds to the need for improved communication skills in engineering by directly addressing challenges associated with incorporating writing-based instructional techniques in traditional technical classes. More specifically, the goals of this project are to develop, validate, and disseminate high-impact, scalable techniques for integrating writing in existing engineering courses and curricula. The project particularly seeks to address common instructor-level challenges that often preclude the inclusion of writing in engineering coursework. This project is primarily focused on required, large-lecture engineering courses where writing typically does not occur, and where ample opportunities exist to train faculty to implement simple, scalable writing activities, exercises, and related assessments. This study will involve systematic investigation of how such activities can potentially enhance student learning of both writing and course-specific technical skills. The project will also survey faculty and staff at multiple institutions to evaluate current attitudes toward writing in engineering, while identifying the most scalable and sustainable writing interventions from the standpoint of instructors and institutions. The proposed project brings together an interdisciplinary team with highly complementary expertise spanning multiple disciplines and areas of activity, including engineering (civil and electrical/computer), technical communication, active and experiential learning, and engineering education research. The project proposes innovative application of writing interventions that have been proven effective in other contexts, with the goal of transforming core courses in engineering to enhance the technical capabilities and writing skills of participating students. Increased emphasis on writing in engineering education may also broaden participation and increase retention of underrepresented groups (particularly women and linguistic minorities), including by helping to contextualize and make more relevant the technical courses and topics that comprise much of current engineering curricula.