Collaborative Research: Enhancing Design Teamwork Experiences and Learning in Engineering Education

该项目旨在为改善工程教育的国家利益服务。 具体来说，它旨在提高团队的形成和协作，从而提高工程专业学生在团队中的学习经验。团队合作是所有工程本科课程的重要组成部分，也是专业工程实践的关键技能。对于许多工程专业的学生来说，在学生团队中不满意的经历会对团队合作产生长期的负面影响，这会对他们在工程工作场所的表现产生负面影响。由工程教师组成有效的学生团队是确保成功完成基于团队的项目，实验室和设计课程的关键第一步。团队构成直接影响团队的审议，程序和学习成果。在这个项目中，北方伊利诺伊大学和罗切斯特理工学院计划扩展有关最佳学生团队形成的知识。 这项工作将包括建立一个组建团队的概念模型，认识理想团队的特点，并查明实际团队与理想团队之间的差距，项目活动包括：㈠建立一个将团队投入、团队过程和团队产出联系起来的概念模型; ㈡利用概念模型确定理想团队的特点，并建立一种组建团队的方法;以及三）调查的假设，提高团队成员的合作，提高团队绩效和学习。所采取的方法是新颖的，以证据为基础，数据驱动。该项目计划采用“回归”方法组建团队，使用的数据直接来自在正常课堂环境中以团队形式工作两年的学生。将使用描述团队输入、过程和输出的变量收集综合数据。然后在第三年建立一个回归模型，将投入变量与预期产出联系起来。概念模型中的关联性将通过使用经验证的工具和适当的统计技术对多个假设进行调查来进行测试。 NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest in improving engineering education. Specifically, it intends to improve team formation and collaboration and thus enhance engineering students’ learning experiences in a team. Teamwork is an essential component of all engineering undergraduate programs and is a critical skill for professional engineering practice. For many engineering students, unsatisfactory experiences on a student team can generate long-term negative feelings about teamwork, which can negatively affect their performance in the engineering workplace. Formation of effective student teams by engineering instructors is a critical first step in ensuring that team-based projects, labs, and design courses are successfully completed. Team composition directly affects team deliberations, procedures, and learning outcomes. In this project, Northern Illinois University and Rochester Institute of Technology plan to extend knowledge about optimal student team-formation. This work will include creation of a conceptual model for team formation, recognition of the characteristics of an ideal team, and identification of gaps between the actual and the ideal teams.Project activities include: (i) the creation of a conceptual model that relates team inputs, team processes, and team outputs; (ii) use of the conceptual model to identify ideal team characteristics and establish a team-formation methodology; and iii) investigation of the hypothesis that improved team member collaboration enhances both team performance and learning. The approach taken is novel, evidence-based, and data-driven. The project’s planned “regression” approach to team formation uses data obtained directly from students deployed to work in teams for two years in normal classroom settings. Comprehensive data will be collected using variables that describe team inputs, processes, and outputs. A regression model will then be constructed in the third year to correlate input variables to desired outputs. Associations in the conceptual model will be tested through investigation of multiple hypotheses using validated instruments and appropriate statistical techniques. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.