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

这个名为“合作研究：RUI：信任但要验证：直觉在工程问题解决中的应用”的项目是巴克内尔大学、亚利桑那州立大学和恩布里里德尔航空大学进行的一项为期三年的关于工程直觉的研究。该项目的目标是检查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劳动力的知识。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的压力（例如，缺乏时间）时下意识地使用这种技能。工程从业人员经常在工作中运用和发展直觉；然而，在本科教育中往往不鼓励使用直觉。本研究的研究问题主要集中在直觉在工程问题解决中的应用、解决“不良”与“良好”结构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。该研究将使用多种方法和技术（如模拟访谈）。新晋工程从业人员（大四本科生及1年以下从业人员）和职业生涯中期从业人员（6-10年从业经验）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，以及理解早期直觉发展如何帮助所有学生公平竞争，而不管个人背景如何，包括过去的工程经验。这个名为“合作研究：RUI：信任但要验证：直觉在工程问题解决中的应用”的项目是巴克内尔大学、亚利桑那州立大学和恩布里里德尔航空大学进行的一项为期三年的关于工程直觉的研究。该项目的目标是检查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劳动力的知识。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的压力（例如，缺乏时间）时下意识地使用这种技能。在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。工程从业人员经常在工作中运用和发展直觉；然而，在本科教育中往往不鼓励使用直觉。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认识，在我们对工程问题解决和未来劳动力准备的现有理解中呈现出重要的差距。将采用定性方法来调查四个研究问题：RQ1：直觉在工程问题解决中的应用是如何体现的？RQ2：在处理“不良”和“良好”结构的工程问题时，直觉的应用有何不同？RQ3：在处理“不良”与“良好”结构的工程问题时，从业者专业知识的领域如何影响直觉的应用？RQ4：先前的工程经验如何影响直觉在处理“病态”和“良好”结构工程问题时的应用？认知任务分析（CTA）将从新工程实践者（高年级本科生和经验不足一年的人）和职业中期实践者（6-10年经验）的样本中获得专家知识。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。从这项研究中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，以及理解早期直觉发展如何帮助所有学生公平竞争，而不管个人背景如何，包括过去的工程经验。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 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.