A primary goal of science and engineering (S&E) education is to produce good problem solvers, but how to best teach and measure the quality of problem solving remains unclear. The process is complex, multifaceted, and not fully characterized. Here, we present a detailed characterization of the S&E problem-solving process as a set of…

This paper addresses two aspects of integrating mathematics education with engineering education that may address persistence of engineering majors (and STEM majors more broadly): an emphasis on modeling as a vehicle for more authentic learning activity (Niss et al. 2007), and the need for measures that can support academic units' efforts to…

A central problem in undergraduate mathematics education for future engineers consists in the perceived and actual relevance of the mathematical content. One strategy to strengthen both is to let students experience how that content appears in posing and solving authentic problems from the field of engineering which the students have signed up to…

Improving code while preserving its functionality is a common task in the hi-tech industry. Yet students have difficulties improving an algorithm's run-time complexity by an order of magnitude. The paper focuses on assessing students' abilities in this area. We designed a Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy, using software…

The potential of children's picture books to provide knowledge to support STEM education is high. Engineering is a field about which children may have little awareness or understanding. Children's picture books can be an important tool in introducing engineering to children. In this study, we investigate children's picture books written in or…

This research discusses the characteristics of a global set of Classroom Observation Protocols (COPr) to uncover their design goals and assess the value propositions for Engineering Education (EE) in active learning environments. To achieve the research purpose, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method was chosen, based on a process-oriented…

Gamification has been applied in multiple different contexts for increasing motivation towards completion of activities such as company loyalty programs, exercise initiatives, and corporate training. Although gamification has been applied within engineering classrooms previously, very little results have been obtained on how gamification…

Science and engineering students in the second semester of a calculus-based physics sequence typically study and measure the on-axis magnetic field for a multiple, circular turn coil. There are four benefits to this approach: 1) an analytical solution is easily obtained, 2) the coil is easily constructed using tightly wound, high-gauge wire where…

Background: Social identity theory has been used to understand student and professional engagement in engineering. Engineering identity development, however, can be disrupted by the barriers and challenges associated with the racialized and gendered perceptions of engineering. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study examined the engineering identity…

Building information modeling (BIM)-based collaboration may be associated with peer pressure in educational settings. Peer pressure creates a challenge for educators to foster students' BIM skills and prepare them for a career in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. However, the effects of peer pressure on student…

Experts bring necessary comprehensive and authoritative knowledge to address issues as they arise throughout a project. This expertise is critical for construction and engineering organizations because the characteristics of each project are dynamic and unique. Practitioners often perceive expertise as objective across demographics; however, this…

This paper investigated the effect of grade dropping on students' performance, engagement, and satisfaction. In three different engineering courses that were taught by the author, an optional second midterm exam was offered near the end of the semester. The optional second midterm exam covered materials that were not covered by the first midterm…

The demand for U.S. temporary workers has doubled since the 1990s, especially after the technology boom. American employers have benefited from hiring foreign talent for STEM occupations. Despite the mandatory prevailing wage regulations, temporary skilled immigrants have been criticized for their "willingness" to work for lower wages.…

Creativity is widely recognized as being invaluable for human development and a crucial 21st century talent. Preparing students for an uncertain and complex world requires that higher education promote students' imagination, originality, curiosity, and flexibility and build their capacity to take risks to try new approaches to problem-posing and…

The ability to efficiently optimize or re-optimize an algorithm for high performance on a particular processor architecture is crucial in a wide spectrum of engineering and scientific applications. To help bridge the gap between fully automated optimization, which does not reliably produce optimal code, and fully manual optimization, which is…