Galbraith, A., & Massey, L. B., & Schluterman, H. A., & Puckett, L., & Scroggin, G. (2025, July), Full Paper: Bringing Innovation and Open-Ended Problem Solving to the Classroom  Paper presented at FYEE 2025 Conference, University of Maryland - College Park, Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--55242

\bibitem{asee_peer_55242}
  Galbraith, A., \& Massey, L. B., \& Schluterman, H. A., \& Puckett, L., \& Scroggin, G. (2025, July), \emph{Full Paper: Bringing Innovation and Open-Ended Problem Solving to the Classroom}
  Paper presented at FYEE 2025 Conference, University of Maryland - College Park, Maryland.
  10.18260/1-2--55242

Aysa Galbraith, Leslie Bartsch Massey, Heath Aren Schluterman, Latisha Puckett, and Gretchen Scroggin.  "Full Paper: Bringing Innovation and Open-Ended Problem Solving to the Classroom".  FYEE 2025 Conference, University of Maryland - College Park, Maryland, 2025, July.  ASEE Conferences, 2025.  https://peer.asee.org/55242 Internet.  31 Aug, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_55242}
  Aysa Galbraith, Leslie Bartsch Massey, Heath Aren Schluterman, Latisha Puckett, and Gretchen Scroggin.
  "Full Paper: Bringing Innovation and Open-Ended Problem Solving to the Classroom".
  \emph{FYEE 2025 Conference, University of Maryland - College Park, Maryland, 2025, July}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2025.
  https://peer.asee.org/55242 Internet.  31 Aug, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_55242
author = "Aysa Galbraith, Leslie Bartsch Massey, Heath Aren Schluterman, Latisha Puckett, and Gretchen Scroggin"
title = "Full Paper: Bringing Innovation and Open-Ended Problem Solving to the Classroom"
booktitle = "FYEE 2025 Conference"
year = "2025"
month = "July"
address = "University of Maryland - College Park, Maryland"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/55242}
number = {10.18260/1-2--55242}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This paper presents a 12-day project implemented in an introductory first-year engineering course designed to foster innovation and open-ended problem-solving through team collaboration. Inspired by the FIRST LEGO League Robotics competitions, the project integrates two parallel components: a robotics challenge and an innovation project, both centered around the SuperPowered season theme of energy.

The robotics component engages students in hands-on learning using LEGO Spike Prime robots. Teams progress through basic and advanced driving training, modify their robots using a variety of LEGO parts, and program them to complete missions on a SuperPowered game mat. The robotics component of the project concludes with a competition where teams aim to maximize their score within a 3-minute window.
The innovation component encourages creativity and critical thinking. Teams select one of four energy-related themes—Renewable Energy, Hydroelectric Energy, Energy Cost, or Energy Flow—and follow a structured process to design an innovative solution to a real-world problem. This includes brainstorming, creating a team contract, drafting an opportunity statement, and defining innovation. Students produce a "news article" to articulate the problem that their project addresses, conduct background research, and simulate an interview with a CEO (using AI tools). After instructor’s approval of their project, teams proceed to product design which can be a detailed paper design or a physical prototype. The innovation component of the project concludes with a poster presentation session. 

This project bridges engineering education with real-world problem-solving, emphasizing teamwork, creativity, and technical skills. Detailed steps, student reflections, feedback, and examples of mission plans and posters will be included to provide insights into the project's implementation and outcomes. 

AU  - Aysa Galbraith
AU  - Leslie Bartsch Massey
AU  - Heath Aren Schluterman
AU  - Latisha Puckett
AU  - Gretchen Scroggin
CY  - University of Maryland - College Park, Maryland
DA  - 2025/07/27
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Full Paper: Bringing Innovation and Open-Ended Problem Solving to the Classroom
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/55242
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--55242
ER  -