Collaborative Research: Research Initiation: Understanding of Engineering Core Concepts Contextualized in Domain-Specific Settings Through Active Exploration

体验式学习在工程教育中的悠久历史表明，通过直接体验和反思实践中起作用的东西，认知发展具有巨大的潜力。然而，在现实生活中积极探索并不总是可行的。计算机科学的最新进展帮助教育工作者开发虚拟环境和游戏平台，允许学生探索各种场景并从他们的经验中学习。这个项目将探索学生对两个工程核心概念的学习：系统设计和特定领域背景下的优化。此外，它还将检验学生在数字游戏环境中通过积极探索发现基本工程问题的系统解决方案的能力。将开发一个基于网络游戏的平台，并用于对主动学习教学法的有效性进行实证检验。这款游戏将通过基于场景的问题向用户展示施工计划和进度安排中的两个工程核心概念。这款游戏将用于研究生级别的建筑工程课程，最终版游戏将免费下载，并通过专门的网站和应用商店向世界上的任何人开放。该项目和基于游戏的平台的成果可用于外联计划，以吸引和激励未被充分代表的学生和K-12学生继续STEM教育。此外，该项目将通过一个指导的、协作的研究项目，准备和培训PI，使其在工程师专业形成的社会科学研究中发挥领导作用，该项目将扩大工程教育研究人员的社区。拟议的游戏化教学方法将基于建构主义学习理论设计。本研究项目将回答三个问题：1)数字游戏环境中的引导式主动探索是否提高了学生对与特定领域相关的两个工程核心概念(即系统设计和优化)的理解？2)数字游戏环境中的引导式主动探索是否提高了学生发现解决基本工程问题的系统策略的能力？3)学生如何看待交互式数字游戏化平台，让他们探索基于场景的工程问题作为正式的学习工具？解决这些问题将有助于深入了解如何为学生提供机会来探索操纵工程问题的各种元素的影响，从而有助于更好地理解工程核心概念，并发现特定领域工程问题的系统解决方案。为了解决研究问题，将进行定性和定量分析，包括1)事前和事后评估(例如，先验知识调查、基准考试、基于游戏的作业和半结构化面试)和2)游戏数据，包括日志文件和学生在汇报和衔接方面的投入的电子记录。这项研究项目将创造和检验一种创新的工程教育方法，该方法可以适应其他工程领域和教育水平，包括本科和高中课程。虽然这项研究使用建筑工程作为研究背景，但其结果将有助于其他工程领域，并将增加在规模学习方面的前沿实践状态。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The long history of experiential learning in engineering education shows the significant potential of cognitive development through direct experience and reflection on what works in practice. However, active exploration in a real-life situation may not be always feasible. Recent advances in computer science help educators develop virtual environments and game platforms that allow students to explore various scenarios and learn from their experiences. This project will explore students’ learning of two engineering core concepts: design of a system and optimization contextualized in domain-specific settings. Further, it will examine students’ ability to discover systematic solutions for fundamental engineering problems through active exploration in a digital game environment. An online game-based platform will be developed and used to empirically examine the effectiveness of active learning pedagogy. The game will expose users to the two engineering core concepts in the context of construction planning and scheduling through scenario-based problems. The game will be used in a graduate level construction engineering course and the final version of the game will be available for free to download and to play to anyone in the world through a dedicated website and app stores. The outcomes of the project and the game-based platform can be used in outreach programs to engage and inspire underrepresented and K-12 students in pursuing STEM education. In addition, this project will prepare and train the PI to take a leadership role in social science research on the professional formation of engineers through a mentored, collaborative research project which will expand the community of engineering education researchers.The proposed gamified pedagogical approach will be designed based on constructivism learning theory. This research project will answer three questions: 1) Does guided active exploration in a digital game environment improve students’ understanding of two engineering core-concepts (i.e., design of a system and optimization) contextualized in domain-specific settings? 2) Does guided active exploration in a digital game environment improve students’ ability to discover systematic strategies to solve fundamental engineering problems? and 3) How do students perceive an interactive digital gamification platform that lets them explore scenario-based engineering problems as a formal learning tool? Addressing these questions will provide insights into how providing students with opportunities to explore the impact of manipulating various elements of an engineering problem can contribute to a better understanding of the engineering core concepts and discovery of systematic solutions for domain-specific engineering problems. To address the research questions, qualitative and quantitative analyses will be performed, including 1) pre- and post-assessments (e.g., prior knowledge surveys, benchmark exams, game-based assignments, and semi-structured interviews) and 2) game data, including log files and electronic records of students’ inputs in the debriefing and articulation features. This research project will create and examine an innovative engineering education method that can be adapted to other engineering fields and education levels, including undergraduate and high school programs. Although the research uses construction engineering as a study setting, its outcomes will contribute to other engineering fields and it will add to the cutting-edge state of practice in learning at scale.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.