Collaborative Research: Research Initiation: Understanding of Engineering Core Concepts Contextualized in Domain-Specific Settings Through Active Exploration

工程教育中体验式学习的悠久历史表明，通过直接体验和对实践中有效的反思，认知发展具有重要潜力。然而，在现实生活中，主动探索并不总是可行的。计算机科学的最新进展帮助教育工作者开发虚拟环境和游戏平台，让学生探索各种场景并从他们的经验中学习。本项目将探讨学生对两个工程核心概念的学习：系统设计和特定领域情境化的优化。此外，它将通过在数字游戏环境中积极探索，检验学生发现基本工程问题的系统解决方案的能力。将开发一个基于在线游戏的平台，并用于实证检验主动学习教学法的有效性。该游戏将通过基于场景的问题向用户展示建筑规划和调度背景下的两个工程核心概念。该游戏将用于研究生水平的建筑工程课程，游戏的最终版本将免费下载，并通过专门的网站和应用程序商店向世界上的任何人开放。该项目的成果和基于游戏的平台可用于外展计划，以吸引和激励代表性不足的K-12学生追求STEM教育。此外，本项目将通过一个有指导的合作研究项目，为PI在工程师专业形成的社会科学研究中发挥领导作用做好准备和培训，这将扩大工程教育研究人员的社区。在建构主义学习理论的基础上设计游戏化教学方法。这个研究项目将回答三个问题：1)在数字游戏环境中引导的主动探索是否能提高学生对特定领域背景下的两个工程核心概念（即系统设计和优化）的理解？2)在数字游戏环境中引导主动探索是否提高了学生发现解决基本工程问题的系统策略的能力？3)学生如何看待一个交互式数字游戏化平台，让他们探索基于场景的工程问题作为一种正式的学习工具？解决这些问题将有助于深入了解如何为学生提供机会来探索操纵工程问题的各种元素的影响，从而有助于更好地理解工程核心概念，并发现针对特定领域工程问题的系统解决方案。为了解决研究问题，将进行定性和定量分析，包括1)前后评估（例如，先前知识调查，基准考试，基于游戏的作业和半结构化访谈）和2)游戏数据，包括日志文件和学生在述职和发音功能中的输入的电子记录。该研究项目将创造和检验一种创新的工程教育方法，这种方法可以适用于其他工程领域和教育水平，包括本科和高中课程。虽然本研究以建筑工程为研究背景，但其成果将为其他工程领域做出贡献，并将增加大规模学习实践的前沿状态。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

The long history of experiential learning in engineering education shows the significant potential of cognitive development through direct experience and reflection on what works in practice. However, active exploration in a real-life situation may not be always feasible. Recent advances in computer science help educators develop virtual environments and game platforms that allow students to explore various scenarios and learn from their experiences. This project will explore students’ learning of two engineering core concepts: design of a system and optimization contextualized in domain-specific settings. Further, it will examine students’ ability to discover systematic solutions for fundamental engineering problems through active exploration in a digital game environment. An online game-based platform will be developed and used to empirically examine the effectiveness of active learning pedagogy. The game will expose users to the two engineering core concepts in the context of construction planning and scheduling through scenario-based problems. The game will be used in a graduate level construction engineering course and the final version of the game will be available for free to download and to play to anyone in the world through a dedicated website and app stores. The outcomes of the project and the game-based platform can be used in outreach programs to engage and inspire underrepresented and K-12 students in pursuing STEM education. In addition, this project will prepare and train the PI to take a leadership role in social science research on the professional formation of engineers through a mentored, collaborative research project which will expand the community of engineering education researchers.The proposed gamified pedagogical approach will be designed based on constructivism learning theory. This research project will answer three questions: 1) Does guided active exploration in a digital game environment improve students’ understanding of two engineering core-concepts (i.e., design of a system and optimization) contextualized in domain-specific settings? 2) Does guided active exploration in a digital game environment improve students’ ability to discover systematic strategies to solve fundamental engineering problems? and 3) How do students perceive an interactive digital gamification platform that lets them explore scenario-based engineering problems as a formal learning tool? Addressing these questions will provide insights into how providing students with opportunities to explore the impact of manipulating various elements of an engineering problem can contribute to a better understanding of the engineering core concepts and discovery of systematic solutions for domain-specific engineering problems. To address the research questions, qualitative and quantitative analyses will be performed, including 1) pre- and post-assessments (e.g., prior knowledge surveys, benchmark exams, game-based assignments, and semi-structured interviews) and 2) game data, including log files and electronic records of students’ inputs in the debriefing and articulation features. This research project will create and examine an innovative engineering education method that can be adapted to other engineering fields and education levels, including undergraduate and high school programs. Although the research uses construction engineering as a study setting, its outcomes will contribute to other engineering fields and it will add to the cutting-edge state of practice in learning at scale.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.