Collaborative Research: RUI: Trust but Verify: The Use of Intuition in Engineering Problem Solving

这项名为《协作研究：RUI：信任但验证：直觉在工程问题解决中的应用》的项目是由巴克内尔大学、亚利桑那州立大学和安布里·里德尔航空大学进行的一项为期三年的关于工程直觉的研究。这个项目的目标是检验工程从业者对直觉的应用，并产生促进工程师专业形成和发展更强大的工程队伍的知识。工程直觉是一种通过经验发展起来的解决问题的技能，工程实践者在受到限制(例如，缺乏时间)的压力时，会下意识地使用这种技能。工程实践者经常在工作中使用和发展直觉；然而，在本科教育中，直觉的使用通常是不被鼓励的。本研究的研究问题集中于直觉在工程问题解决中的应用，解决“病”与“好”的结构化工程问题，以及工程师解决结构化问题时的先前工程经验水平。本研究将使用多种方法和技巧(如模拟访谈)。新的工程从业者(大四本科生和经验不足一年的人)和职业生涯中期从业者(6-10年经验)将参加。这项研究产生的知识将为弥合课堂和现实世界工程实践之间的脱节，设计促进直觉发展的教育干预措施，以及了解早期直觉发展如何帮助所有学生公平竞争环境而不受个人背景的影响，包括过去的工程经验，提供基础。该项目是由巴克内尔大学、亚利桑那州立大学和恩布里·里德尔航空大学进行的为期三年的关于工程直觉的研究。这个项目的目标是检验工程从业者对直觉的应用，并产生促进工程师专业形成和发展更强大的工程队伍的知识。工程直觉是一种通过经验发展起来的解决问题的技能，工程实践者在受到限制(例如，缺乏时间)的压力时，会下意识地使用这种技能。特定领域的专业知识是直觉的先决条件，也是专家的决定性特征。工程实践者经常在工作中使用和发展直觉；然而，在本科教育中，直觉的使用通常是不被鼓励的。直觉在工程实践和工程教育中的应用之间的脱节，加上对直觉、专业知识和经验之间关系的有限了解，在我们现有的对工程问题解决和未来劳动力准备的理解中存在着一个重要的差距。将采用定性的方法来调查四个研究问题：RQ1：直觉的应用在工程问题解决中是如何体现的？RQ2：在处理“不好”和“不好”的结构化工程问题时，直觉的应用有什么不同？RQ3：当处理“病态”或“良好”的结构化工程问题时，从业者的专业领域如何影响直觉的应用？RQ4：以前的工程经验如何影响在处理“不好”和“不好”的结构化工程问题时直觉的应用？认知任务分析(CTA)将从新的工程实践者(大四的本科生和经验不到一年的人)和职业生涯中期实践者(6-10年经验)的样本中获得专业知识。根据最佳实践，CTA方法(模拟访谈、关键决策方法和知识审计方法)将用于支持可靠的数据收集。这项研究产生的知识将为弥合课堂和现实世界工程实践之间的脱节提供基础，设计促进直觉发展的教育干预措施，并了解早期直觉发展如何有助于为所有学生提供公平的竞争环境，而不考虑个人背景，包括过去的工程经验。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。

The project, “Collaborative Research: RUI: Trust but Verify: The Use of Intuition in Engineering Problem Solving” is a three-year study about engineering intuition conducted at Bucknell University, Arizona State University, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. The goal of this project is to examine the application of intuition by engineering practitioners and generate knowledge that promotes the professional formation of engineers and development of a stronger engineering workforce. Engineering intuition is a problem-solving skill developed through experience that engineering practitioners subconsciously use when under pressure from constraints (e.g., lack of time). Engineering practitioners regularly use and develop intuition on-the-job; however, the use of intuition is often discouraged in undergraduate education. Research questions in this study focus on the application of intuition in engineering problem solving, solving “ill” versus “well” structured engineering problems, and prior engineering experience levels when engineers solve structured problems. The study will use a variety of methods and techniques (such as Simulation Interviews). New engineering practitioners (senior undergraduates and those with less than one year of experience) and mid-career practitioners (6-10 years of experience) will participate. The knowledge generated from this study will provide a foundation for bridging the disconnect between classroom and real-world engineering practices, designing educational interventions that promote intuition development, and understanding how early intuition development can help level the playing field for all students regardless of individual background, including past engineering experiences.The project, “Collaborative Research: RUI: Trust but Verify: The Use of Intuition in Engineering Problem Solving” is a three-year study about engineering intuition conducted at Bucknell University, Arizona State University, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. The goal of this project is to examine the application of intuition by engineering practitioners and generate knowledge that promotes the professional formation of engineers and development of a stronger engineering workforce. Engineering intuition is a problem-solving skill developed through experience that engineering practitioners subconsciously use when under pressure from constraints (e.g., lack of time). Expertise in a specific area is a prerequisite of intuition and is a defining characteristic of the expert. Engineering practitioners regularly use and develop intuition on-the-job; however, the use of intuition is often discouraged in undergraduate education. The disconnect between intuition’s use in engineering practice and in engineering education, coupled with limited knowledge of the relationship between intuition, expertise, and experience, presents an important gap in our existing understanding of engineering problem solving and future workforce preparation. A qualitative approach will be employed to investigate four research questions: RQ1: How does the application of intuition manifest in engineering problem solving? RQ2: How does the application of intuition vary when approaching “ill” versus “well” structured engineering problems? RQ3: How does the domain of practitioner expertise influence the application of intuition when approaching “ill” versus “well” structured engineering problems? RQ4: How does prior engineering experience influence the application of intuition when approaching “ill” versus “well” structured engineering problems? Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) will elicit expert knowledge from a sample of new engineering practitioners (senior undergraduates and those with less than one year of experience) and mid-career practitioners (6-10 years of experience). Per best practices, CTA methods (Simulation Interviews, Critical Decision Method, and Knowledge Audit Method) will be used to support robust data collection. The knowledge generated from this study will provide a foundation for bridging the disconnect between classroom and real-world engineering practices, designing educational interventions that promote intuition development, and understanding how early intuition development can help level the playing field for all students regardless of individual background, including past engineering experiences.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.