Emergent Engineering Judgment: Making Assumptions in Engineering Science Homework (Research)

Karen Miel; Jessica Swenson; Aaron Johnson

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: ERM: ERM Medley Session!
Page Count: 17
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41133
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41133
Download Count: 360

Paper Authors

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Karen Miel Tufts University

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Karen Miel is a Research Scientist at the University at Buffalo. Her research interests include the undergraduate students' development of engineering judgment and elementary students' engineering teamwork.

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Jessica Swenson University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

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Jessica Swenson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo. She was awarded her doctorate and masters from Tufts University in mechanical engineering and STEM education respectively, and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Michigan Her current research involves examining different types of homework problems in undergraduate engineering science courses, flexible classroom spaces, active learning, responsive teaching, and elementary school engineering teachers.

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Aaron Johnson University of Michigan

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Aaron W. Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Aerospace Engineering Department and a Core Faculty member of the Engineering Education Research Program at the University of Michigan. He believes in a strong connection between engineering education research and practice, and his research leverages his experience teaching engineering science courses to bridge the gap between theoretical, well-defined coursework and ill-defined, sociotechnical engineering practice. Aaron holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to re-joining Michigan, he was an instructor in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. Aaron enjoys reading, collecting LEGO NASA sets, biking, camping, and playing disc golf.

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Abstract

This research paper describes a case study of the ways that engineering students demonstrate emerging engineering judgment as they make assumptions needed to model and solve an open-ended, ill-structured engineering science homework problem. Engineering judgment is the set of practices that engineers employ to develop mathematical models to solve the ill-structured problems encountered by professional engineers. Engineering science homework presents an underutilized opportunity for students to develop and rehearse mathematical modeling and engineering judgment by engaging with ill-structured problems.

This study unpacks students’ emerging engineering judgment as they identify, make, and revise assumptions to develop mathematical models to solve an ill-structured engineering science homework problem. This study asks: How do these students select, evaluate, and revise assumptions while they develop mathematical models? What do these students take into consideration as they make assumptions to develop mathematical models?

We took a case study approach to look closely at the ways students made assumptions that served as the bases for mathematical models. This case took place in the context of a Statics course required of second-year engineering students at a large public university. Over fifteen weeks, the focal team of four students worked to model a swimming pool lift capable of assisting a swimmer to enter and exit the water. We identified moments in which students made assumptions that served as the bases for mathematical models. In this paper, we describe and present examples of the ways that these students selected, evaluated, and revised assumptions while solving this problem.

Our analysis suggests that to make assumptions, these students considered ways to simplify the problem, the instructor’s grading practices, materials availability, and system function. We conjecture that the open-ended nature of the focal problem scaffolded students to make assumptions, and that their assumption-making processes were shaped by their perceptions of the problem as both a “real-world” problem and a “school assignment.” This study contributes to understanding the development of engineering judgment and points to the potential for ill-structured engineering science problems to support students to develop and rehearse engineering judgment.

Keywords: Undergraduate engineering education, Mathematical modeling, Engineering judgment, Assumptions, Case study

Citation
Format

Miel, K., & Swenson, J., & Johnson, A. (2022, August), Emergent Engineering Judgment: Making Assumptions in Engineering Science Homework (Research) Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41133

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This research paper describes a case study of the ways that engineering students demonstrate emerging engineering judgment as they make assumptions needed to model and solve an open-ended, ill-structured engineering science homework problem. Engineering judgment is the set of practices that engineers employ to develop mathematical models to solve the ill-structured problems encountered by professional engineers. Engineering science homework presents an underutilized opportunity for students to develop and rehearse mathematical modeling and engineering judgment by engaging with ill-structured problems.

This study unpacks students’ emerging engineering judgment as they identify, make, and revise assumptions to develop mathematical models to solve an ill-structured engineering science homework problem. This study asks: How do these students select, evaluate, and revise assumptions while they develop mathematical models? What do these students take into consideration as they make assumptions to develop mathematical models?

We took a case study approach to look closely at the ways students made assumptions that served as the bases for mathematical models. This case took place in the context of a Statics course required of second-year engineering students at a large public university. Over fifteen weeks, the focal team of four students worked to model a swimming pool lift capable of assisting a swimmer to enter and exit the water. We identified moments in which students made assumptions that served as the bases for mathematical models. In this paper, we describe and present examples of the ways that these students selected, evaluated, and revised assumptions while solving this problem.

Our analysis suggests that to make assumptions, these students considered ways to simplify the problem, the instructor’s grading practices, materials availability, and system function. We conjecture that the open-ended nature of the focal problem scaffolded students to make assumptions, and that their assumption-making processes were shaped by their perceptions of the problem as both a “real-world” problem and a “school assignment.” This study contributes to understanding the development of engineering judgment and points to the potential for ill-structured engineering science problems to support students to develop and rehearse engineering judgment.

Keywords: Undergraduate engineering education, Mathematical modeling, Engineering judgment, Assumptions, Case study
AU  - Karen Miel
AU  - Jessica Swenson
AU  - Aaron Johnson
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Emergent Engineering Judgment: Making Assumptions in Engineering Science Homework (Research)
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41133
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41133
ER  -