Puzzling The Pieces: Conceptual Blocks Of Engineering Student Ideas In A Service Learning Project

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2018

Publication Title

International Journal of Engineering Education

Publisher

Tempus Publications

Volume

34

Issue

1

First page number:

56

Last page number:

68

Abstract

At its core, engineering and similar disciplines rely strongly on technical innovation to design and develop creative solutions to complex problems. However, for novice engineering students, conceptualizing engineering design activities is not an easy task. To do so, they must overcome cognitive blocks to facilitate unique and adequate engineering design solutions. This effect may be compounded when engineering design projects centered around service learning are introduced. The intent of this study was to explore if and what types of conceptual blocks may be present among novice engineering students when design heuristic cues are provided in the classroom. Findings suggest that using classroom interventions around design heuristic, students had a difficult time "shaking off" their conceptual blocks to the design solution. Primarily, communicative and perceptual blocks were found to predominate among novice engineering student groups. © 2018 TEMPUS Publications.

Keywords

Conceptual blocks; Design heuristics; Engineering design; First year curriculum; Service learning

Language

English


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