Creativity under Constraints: The Affect of Problem Space on Design Learning among Engineering Students

摘要

An understanding of the factors that facilitate creativity in the design process is essential to construct and implement rrneducational engineering design activities. While experts agree that it is necessary to include design constraints in learning rrnenvironments, it is unclear exactly how the constraints contribute to the decision-making process and final design choice. rrnThis study examines the creative practices among college students engaging in an authentic engineering project situated rrnwithin a design based learning environment, specifically investigating the role of design constraints on creative processes. rrnThe study compares the effects imposed by the design space at two different levels: (1) goal constraints, where the overall rrngoal of the design is specified, and (2) task constraints, where the only the task is defined and the goal is not. One rrnsection of student design teams was required to create design solutions for a specific site utilizing renewable energy rrnsources, implementing goal constraints; the second grouping of design teams created design solutions for a broader context rrnonly constrained by the utilization of a renewable energy source.