Learning to Innovate Through Bioinspired Design

这一工程教育研究项目的重点是利用生物灵感设计--即以自然为灵感进行设计--向机械工程专业学生传授创新精神。这项研究的重点是教工程师在设计中从自然中获得灵感的最佳实践。这项研究将通过在德克萨斯农工大学建立一个证书项目来整合到课程中。希望获得证书的学生要选修精选的课程，费用是在该计划中增加一个学分小时。为了衡量项目对学生学习的影响，在学生的大学经历和证书活动中计划了定量和定性的纵向评估。这个项目应该更好地告知哪些学习方法成功地解决了创新问题，并测试生物启发设计是否是一种有效的教学方法。该项目还可能使机械工程成为一门更平易近人、更具吸引力的学科，吸引那些传统上在工程学中代表性不足的学生。

This engineering education research project focuses on using bio-inspired design--i.e. using nature as an inspiration to design--in order to teach innovation to mechanical engineering students. The research focuses on best practices to teach engineers to draw on nature for inspiration in design. The research will be integrated into the curriculum by establishing a certificate program at Texas A&M University. Students who wish to obtain the certificate take selected electives, at the cost of one additional credit hour in the program. To measure the impact on the project on student learning, both quantitative and qualitative longitudinal assessments are planned throughout students' collegiate experience and certificate activities. This project should better inform what learning approaches successfully address innovation, and test whether bio-inspired design is an effective pedagogy. The project may also make mechanical engineering a more approachable and attractive subject to students who are traditionally under-represented in engineering.