A Flipped Classroom Strategy to Teach Systems Thinking to Engineering Students (Reference: White Paper 21-000002067).
Abstract
"Approved for Public Release "The increased complexity of Navy-relevant systems demands engineers that have the necessary systems thinking (ST) and systems engineering (SE) skills to design, develop, integrate, operate, update, support, and retire those systems from service. However, traditional engineering undergraduate programs such as mechanical engineering mostly emphasize the detailed design of individual components. Thus, students are seldom exposed to ST and SE concepts during their education. Furthermore, faculty teaching in those programs typically have a strong background in specific technical disciplines but lack formal training in product development, ST, and SE. The importance of incorporating ST/SE in traditional engineering majors along with recommendations for implementation into the curriculum have been reported in the literature. One approach involves adding a course focusing on ST/SE to the traditional curriculum. Another involves including selected ST/SE content in one (or more) existing courses. Additionally, there is a growing body of literature that has studied the link between innovation, design-centered curriculum, and the creation of #flexible thinkers# for technical problem solving and systems thinking, making the case for including ST/SE in the undergraduate curriculum even more powerful. Although these efforts have shown positive results, widespread adoption is challenging because either approach relies on the ST/SE expertise of the faculty involved in the interventions. The goal of this project is to develop and deploy a flipped classroom strategy to teach ST/SE concepts in freshman-level introduction to engineering and senior-level capstone design mechanical engineering courses. The strategy involves two components: online modules that students complete outside of class time and #hands-on# in-class activities that reinforce the concepts presented in the modules. The online modules will be structured such that each concept is immediately illustrated using a Navy-relevant example and assessed via questions or activities. Carnegie Mellon#s Open Learning Initiative (OLI) platform will be used to develop the online modules and make them available for adoption. Developing the modules in the OLI will enable immediate feedback on learning to students and instructors. Also, tools already included in the OLI platform will be used to collect and analyze student learning data so developers can improve the modules# effectiveness. The #hands-on# in-class activities will be designed such that they are based on Navy-relevant applications and easy to implement. A package with complete instructions for each activity will be made available for adoption via a website. In order to reach all students, inclusive practices will be infused in the creation of materials, data analysis, and the dissemination of resources. Also, inclusive practices will be embedded in the assessment approach used. Besides creating a more welcoming and supportive learning environment for all students, inclusive teaching practices have demonstrated benefits in learning gains, GPAs, and attendance. Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are the two main frameworks that will guide this project. Additionally, constructs such as sense of belonging and student self-efficacy will be examined at both the beginning and end of the courses. This information will be used to better understand the experiences that students are having and to identify areas for improvement.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 29, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312490
Entities
People
- Karim Muci-kuchler
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Texas State University
- United States Navy