Empowering engineering students to become more effective and self-regulated learners: A course-integrated intervention to promote the transfer of learning skills

该项目旨在通过将学习技能培训无缝地整合到他们的课程中，帮助工科学生转变为有效的学习者，从而服务于国家利益。有效的学习技能在学生的学术和职业生涯中都是至关重要的，它们构成了终身学习和在不断发展的技术世界中成功发展的职业轨迹的基础。目前，大多数工程课程主要侧重于向学生传授技术内容，即他们需要知道的内容。这个项目旨在改善学生的学习方式，让他们采用有效的策略来支持工程学中所需的更高层次的推理。为了达到这一目标并取得强有力的迁移成果，该项目将开发创新的教学方法，积极将工科学生培养成有效和自主的学习者。该项目的主要目标是开发和实施直接整合到工科课程中的学习技能培训，使其成为每个学生核心教育经验的组成部分。这门课程的综合干预将建立在工程教育学、认知心理学和教学干预的循证实践的基础上。它借鉴了自主学习的认知科学框架，将基于证据的认知学习策略、元认知学习策略和成长心态的培养结合在一起。基于这一框架，该项目将开发、实施和评估学习技能要素，这些要素将无缝地整合到现有课程的各个组成部分中，包括理论、作业、评估和教学支持。将特别关注解决学习成绩较差的学生、代表不足和服务不足的群体以及第一代学生的需求，旨在对他们的教育经历产生有意义的影响。该项目的有效性将通过在基础工程课程中的实施进行验证，并通过衡量学生的学习成绩、态度和习惯来评估影响。NSF IUSE：EDU计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习路径，该计划支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 by helping transform engineering students into effective learners through the seamless integration of learning skills training into their courses. Effective learning skills are vital in both students’ academic and professional journeys, and they form the foundation for lifelong learning and successful career trajectories in the ever-evolving world of technology. Currently, most engineering curricula are primarily focused on teaching students the technical content, the “what” they need to know. This project intends to improve “how” students learn, to have them adopt effective strategies that support the higher-level reasoning required in engineering. To reach this goal and achieve strong transfer outcomes, this project will develop innovative pedagogical approaches to actively train engineering students as effective and self-regulated learners.The primary goal of this project is to develop and implement learning skill training that is directly integrated into engineering courses, making it an integral part of every student's core educational experience. This course-integrated intervention will be built upon evidence-based practices in engineering pedagogy, cognitive psychology, and teaching and learning interventions. Drawing upon a cognitive science framework of self-regulated learning, it will incorporate evidence-based cognitive learning strategies, meta-cognitive learning strategies, and the cultivation of a growth mindset. Based on this framework, the project will develop, implement, and evaluate learning skill elements that seamlessly integrate into various components of existing courses, including theory, assignments, assessments, and instructional support. Special attention will be given to addressing the needs of students with lower academic performance, underrepresented and underserved groups, and first-generation students, aiming to make a meaningful impact on their educational experiences. Validation of the project's effectiveness will be carried out through its implementation in foundational engineering courses, with the impact assessed by measuring student learning achievements, attitudes, and habits. The NSF IUSE: EDU 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.