Collaborative Research: SmartCAD: Guiding Engineering Design with Science Simulations

探索研究K-12项目（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具（rmt），显著提高pre -12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，为拟议的项目提供了理论和实证依据。在这个项目中，SmartCAD：用科学模拟指导工程设计，康科德联盟（牵头），普渡大学和弗吉尼亚大学研究如何使用设想的SmartCAD软件从学生设计工件和过程的计算分析结果自动组成实时形成反馈。通过基于视觉分析科学模拟的自动反馈，SmartCAD能够在细粒度层面上指导每个学生，使教师能够专注于高水平的教学。考虑到计算机辅助设计（CAD）软件在工作场所的无处不在，以及它们在大学前教室的传播，本研究提供了及时的结果，可以激励基于CAD的学习环境和材料的整个类型的发展，以加速和扩大K-12工程教育。该项目对SmartCAD进行基于设计的研究，SmartCAD通过三个嵌入式计算引擎支持二级科学和工程，能够模拟建筑环境的机械、热和太阳能性能。这些引擎允许SmartCAD在科学的基础上分析学生的设计工件，并以数字、图形和可视化等形式自动提供形成性反馈，以指导学生的设计过程。研究假设SmartCAD在课堂上的适当应用会带来三种学习成果：1)科学知识的获得，这表明在完成设计项目时对所涉及的科学概念有了更深的理解，并将其整合在一起；2)随着时间的推移，设计能力的提高可以通过迭代的增加、明智的设计决策和系统思考来体现；3)设计性能改进，即在给定时间内设计出符合所有规格的产品的成功机会更大。在测量这些学习成果的同时，本项目还探讨了两个研究问题：1)什么样的模拟反馈能有效地帮助学生获得结果？2)这些类型的反馈在什么条件下帮助学生获得结果？为了验证研究假设并回答研究问题，该项目基于设计学习（LBD）框架开发了三个课程模块，以支持三个选定的设计挑战：太阳能农场、绿色住宅和防震桥梁。SmartCAD和LBD的整合将研究置于LBD的背景下，并阐明了如何使用SmartCAD来增强现有的教学模型，如LBD。研究工具包括知识整合评估、数据挖掘、嵌入式评估、课堂观察、参与者访谈和学生问卷调查。这项研究同时在印第安纳州、马萨诸塞州和弗吉尼亚州进行，涉及2000多名来自不同社会经济背景学校的中学生。在现场测试之前，提供专业发展研讨会，使教师熟悉SmartCAD材料和实施策略。由五名工程教育研究人员和实践者组成的外部关键审查委员会监督和评估该项目的形成性和总结性。项目材料和成果通过出版物、演讲、合作伙伴关系和互联网传播。

The Discovery Research K-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools (RMTs). Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. In this project, SmartCAD: Guiding Engineering Design with Science Simulations, the Concord Consortium (lead), Purdue University, and the University of Virginia investigate how real time formative feedback can be automatically composed from the results of computational analysis of student design artifacts and processes with the envisioned SmartCAD software. Through automatic feedback based on visual analytic science simulations, SmartCAD is able to guide every student at a fine-grained level, allowing teachers to focus on high-level instruction. Considering the ubiquity of computer-aided design (CAD) software in the workplace and their diffusion into precollege classrooms, this research provides timely results that could motivate the development of an entire genre of CAD-based learning environments and materials to accelerate and scale up K-12 engineering education. The project conducts design-based research on SmartCAD, which supports secondary science and engineering with three embedded computational engines capable of simulating the mechanical, thermal, and solar performance of the built environment. These engines allow SmartCAD to analyze student design artifacts on a scientific basis and provide automatic formative feedback in forms such as numbers, graphs, and visualizations to guide student design processes on an ongoing basis. The research hypothesis is that appropriate applications of SmartCAD in the classroom results in three learning outcomes: 1) Science knowledge gains as indicated by a deeper understanding of the involved science concepts and their integration at the completion of a design project; 2) Design competency gains as indicated by the increase of iterations, informed design decisions, and systems thinking over time; and 3) Design performance improvements as indicated by a greater chance to succeed in designing a product that meets all the specifications within a given period of time. While measuring these learning outcomes, this project also probes two research questions: 1) What types of feedback from simulations to students are effective in helping them attain the outcomes? and 2) Under what conditions do these types of feedback help students attain the outcomes? To test the research hypothesis and answer the research questions, this project develops three curriculum modules based on the Learning by Design (LBD) Framework to support three selected design challenges: Solar Farms, Green Homes, and Quake-Proof Bridges. This integration of SmartCAD and LBD situate the research in the LBD context and shed light on how SmartCAD can be used to enhance established pedagogical models such as LBD. Research instruments include knowledge integration assessments, data mining, embedded assessments, classroom observations, participant interviews, and student questionnaires. This research is carried out in Indiana, Massachusetts, and Virginia simultaneously, involving more than 2,000 secondary students at a number of socioeconomically diverse schools. Professional development workshops are provided to familiarize teachers with SmartCAD materials and implementation strategies prior to the field tests. An external Critical Review Committee consisting of five engineering education researchers and practitioners oversee and evaluate this project formatively and summative. Project materials and results are disseminated through publications, presentations, partnerships, and the Internet.