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

该项目名为“合作研究：RUI：信任但验证：直觉在工程问题解决中的应用”，是一项为期三年的关于工程直觉的研究，由巴克内尔大学、亚利桑那州立大学和安柏瑞·里德尔航空大学进行。该项目的目标是研究工程实践者对直觉的应用，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，工程从业者在受到约束的压力时会下意识地使用这种技能（例如，缺乏时间）。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，直觉的使用往往是不鼓励的。在这项研究中的研究问题集中在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工程经验水平。该研究将使用各种方法和技术（如模拟访谈）。新的工程从业者（高年级本科生和经验不足一年的人）和职业中期从业者（6-10年的经验）将参加。从这项研究中产生的知识将为弥合课堂和现实世界的工程实践之间的脱节，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帮助所有学生公平竞争，无论个人背景如何，包括过去的工程经验。该项目，“合作研究：RUI：信任但验证：直觉在工程问题解决中的应用”是一项为期三年的关于工程直觉的研究，在巴克内尔大学、亚利桑那州立大学和安布里里德尔航空大学进行。该项目的目标是研究工程实践者对直觉的应用，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，工程从业者在受到约束的压力时会下意识地使用这种技能（例如，缺乏时间）。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，直觉的使用往往是不鼓励的。直觉在工程实践中的使用和工程教育之间的脱节，再加上有限的知识之间的关系的直觉，专业知识和经验，提出了一个重要的差距，我们现有的理解工程问题的解决和未来的劳动力准备。一个定性的方法将调查四个研究问题：RQ 1：如何应用直觉表现在工程问题解决？在处理“病态”和“良好”结构的工程问题时，直觉的应用有何不同？第三个问题：在处理“病态”与“良好”结构的工程问题时，从业者的专业知识领域如何影响直觉的应用？RQ4：在处理“病态”与“良好”结构的工程问题时，先前的工程经验如何影响直觉的应用？认知任务分析（CTA）将从新的工程从业者（高年级本科生和经验不足一年的人）和职业中期从业者（6-10年的经验）的样本中获取专业知识。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）将用于支持稳健的数据收集。从这项研究中产生的知识将为弥合课堂和现实世界的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提供基础，无论个人背景如何，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知识价值和更广泛的影响审查进行评估，被认为值得支持的搜索.

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.