Learning to Innovate Through Bioinspired Design

这个工程教育研究项目的重点是使用生物启发设计-即利用自然作为设计的灵感——为了教给机械工程专业的学生创新。这项研究的重点是教授工程师从自然中汲取设计灵感的最佳实践。这项研究将通过在德克萨斯农工大学建立一个证书项目，整合到课程中。希望获得该证书的学生选修了选定的选修课，需要在该课程中增加一个学分。为了衡量项目对学生学习的影响，计划在学生的大学经历和证书活动中进行定量和定性的纵向评估。这个项目应该更好地告知什么样的学习方法能够成功地解决创新问题，并测试生物启发设计是否是一种有效的教学方法。这个项目也可能使机械工程成为一个更容易接近和有吸引力的学科，对那些传统上在工程领域代表性不足的学生来说。

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.