Collaborative Research: Intellectual Diversity and Critical Thinking Skills in Service Learning

在一个全球联系日益紧密的世界中，解决真实的世界问题的办法本质上是复杂的，而且往往超出了传统做法的范围。因此，未来的执业工程师需要通过教育系统，教他们不仅是技术技能，但专业技能，如社会和文化影响的认识，他们的设计，理解和欣赏的多样性，并在项目管理，协作和有效沟通的额外技能的支持。 EPICS（社区服务工程项目）计划是工程教育创新的一个例子，该计划已被证明可以在上下文中呈现工程，为学生的职业做好准备，影响他们的工程身份，并显着提高参与者的多样性。 在这个项目中，正在南达科他州矿业和技术学院（SDSMT）建立一个EPICS方案。 该计划的一个独特之处在于，它将与部落学院Oglala Lakota学院现有的合作设计机会制度化，并建立50%的设计项目，以满足松岭保留地利益相关者的关键需求。 本研究旨在探讨服务学习对参与学生的智力多样性、批判性思维能力、对可持续发展的态度、社会意识、利益相关者参与工程设计的影响，并采用先进的评估工具，包括Herrmann大脑优势量表、对当前问题的推理测试和兰开斯特学习方法问卷。该项目将提高批判性思维能力，吸引文化和智力多样化的学生，并改善学生对工程研究和工程专业的态度。

In an increasingly globally connected world, solutions to real world problems are complex in nature and often outside the boundaries of traditional practice. Thus, future practicing engineers need to be supported through educational systems that teach them not only technical skills, but professional skills such as awareness of social and cultural implications of their designs, understanding and appreciation of diversity, and additional skills in project management, collaboration, and effective communication. The EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) program is an example of an innovation in engineering education which has been shown to present engineering in context, prepare students for the profession, impact their engineering identity, as well as significantly improve the diversity of those participating. In this project, an EPICS program is being established at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT). A unique aspect of this program is that it is institutionalizing existing collaborative design opportunities with a tribal college, the Oglala Lakota College and establishing 50% of the design projects to meet critical needs of stakeholders on the Pine Ridge Reservation. This project is investigating the impacts of service learning on participating students' intellectual diversity, critical thinking skills, and attitudes towards sustainability, social awareness, stakeholder involvement in engineering design by applying advanced assessment tools, including the Herrmann Brain Dominance Inventory, Reasoning About Current Issues Test, and the Lancaster Approaches to Studying Questionnaire. This project will increase critical thinking skills, engage culturally and intellectually diverse students, and improve student attitudes concerning their engineering studies and engineering as a profession.