IUSE/PFE:RED: Revolutionizing Engineering Education through Industry Immersion and a Focus on Identity

一个项目或部门的文化在有效、包容和创新的STEM教育中发挥着重要作用。尽管在工程专业的学生群体上做出了巨大的努力，但研究表明，系文化继续对工程教育和培养下一代工程师的教育工作者构成挑战。例如，工程部门经常反映出对工程师意味着什么的狭隘、刻板的看法。不符合这一观点的妇女和其他代表性不足的少数群体不认同工程学，这可能导致不满和脱离参与。这个项目实现了一种独特的教育体验，学生和教职员工沉浸在与行业工程师一起从事工程的文化中，这反过来又培养了作为一名工程师的身份。这种新的文化将通过共享的部门愿景和深度沉浸在工业和工程实践中来创建。其中一些变化包括教师对行业的参与，将行业专业人士与学生联系起来的马拉松，以及该系对教学、学生研究、行业联系和教师指导的优先顺序的变化。除了这些活动，本项目还旨在调查这种新文化对学生和教师身份的影响，以及这些身份变化如何影响学生的参与度、表现和对工程的承诺。身份描述了人们认为自己是谁，他们认为自己可以做什么和成为什么人，以及他们认为自己属于哪里和谁。这是一个人在工程方面的承诺和坚持不懈的关键因素，特别是对妇女和少数族裔来说。认同发展是一个通过文化实现的社会过程。了解身份如何影响学生，特别是女性，可能会改变我们教授STEM K-16的方式。这样的知识将使教育工作者能够针对对身份认同产生最强烈影响的活动，并注意那些对身份认同产生负面影响的活动。其结果是更好地留住了更多样化的学生群体。更具体地说，在项目期间，工程项目以及学生和教师身份的变化将通过访谈、调查和许多其他工具进行监控。这项研究的结果将使人们更清楚地了解促进工程学身份认同的变化，特别是在女性中，以及这种身份认同如何影响学生对项目的归属感和对专业的坚持性。这项研究还将有助于更好地理解影响教师身份认同的因素，以及这些更丰富的身份认同如何影响他们如何看待自己的角色和学生。该项目的主要活动包括：(1)为学生创造从事现实工程的机会；(2)为教师和教师培训提供行业沉浸体验；(3)修订课程以包括与实践的联系；(4)实施反思和档案袋，以评估专业工程认同的发展。在课程中，这种沉浸将通过将体验式学习贯穿始终作为连接线索来实现。该项目位于机械工程系，提供了一种模式和最佳实践，可以通过沉浸在真实世界的工程中来改变学生和教师的工程身份，从而有可能影响工程教育。该项目由本科教育司、工程教育和中心司、土木、机械和制造创新司、电气、通信和网络系统司以及工业创新和伙伴关系司联合资助，反映了本项目与各司及其方案各自目标的一致性。

The culture of a program or department plays a significant role in effective, inclusive, and innovative STEM education. Despite immense efforts to diversify the student body in engineering programs, research suggests that department culture continues to challenge engineering education and the educators who are preparing the next generation of engineers. For example, too often engineering departments reflect a narrow, stereotypical view of what it means to be an engineer. Women and other underrepresented minorities who do not fit this view do not identify with engineering and this can lead to dissatisfaction and disengagement. This project implements a unique educational experience where students and faculty are immersed in a culture of doing engineering with industry engineers that in turn fosters an identity of being an engineer. This new culture will be created through a shared department vision and a deep immersion in industry and engineering practice. Some of the changes include faculty participation in industry, makeathons that connect industry professionals with students, and changes in how the department prioritizes teaching, student research, industry connections, and faculty mentoring. Along with these activities, this project serves to investigate the effects of this new culture on the identity of students and faculty, and how these identity changes affect students' engagement, performance, and commitment to engineering. Identity describes who people think they are, what they think they can do and be, and where and with whom they think they belong. It is a pivotal factor in one's commitment and persistence in engineering, notably for women and minorities. Identity development is a social process realized through culture. Understanding how identities affect students, particularly females, could transform how we teach STEM K-16. Such knowledge will allow educators to target activities that produce the strongest effect on identity and be mindful of those that negatively impact identity. The result is better retention for a more diverse student body.More specifically, during the project, changes to the engineering program and to student and faculty identities will be monitored through interviews, surveys, and many other tools. Results of the study will lead to a clearer understanding of the changes that promote engineering identities, particularly in women, and how such identities affect students' sense of belonging in a program and their persistence in the major. The study will also lead to a better understanding of the factors that influence faculty identity, and how these richer identities affect how they view their roles and their students. Key activities of this project include: (1) the creation of opportunities for students to do realistic engineering, (2) an industry immersion experience for faculty and teacher training, (3) revising the curriculum to include connections to practice, (4) and implementing reflection and portfolios for assessment of professional engineering identity development. In the curriculum, this immersion will be achieved by integrating experiential learning throughout as the connecting thread. Housed in a mechanical engineering department, this project has the potential to impact engineering education by offering a model and best practices in which the engineering identities of students and faculty can be transformed by the immersion in real-world engineering. This project is jointly funded by the Division of Undergraduate Education; the Division of Engineering Education and Centers; the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation; the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems; and the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships; reflecting the alignment of this project with the respective goals of the divisions and their programs.