On the Impacts of Panel-based Technical Design Reviews during the Capstone Design Experience at James Madison University: From Implementation to Mixed-Methods Evidence

摘要

In the context of undergraduate engineering education, capstone design is the central and distinguishing activity required by all ABET accredited engineering programs. At James Madison University, the capstone design experience is a two-year experience where students are guided through key phases of the design process: planning and information gathering, system requirements, concept development, embodiment design, testing and refinement, and detailed design. To guide and facilitate students through capstone, Technical Design Reviews (TDRs) with expert panelists are implemented. TDRs occur each semester and focus on the following reviews: (1) System Requirements Review, (2) Preliminary Design Review, (3) Critical Design Review, and (4) Detailed Design Review. This paper presents details about the JMU Capstone Design Model, the TDR process, and evidence grounded in a mixed-methods approach to provide insight into the impacts of TDRs. Significant improvement and growth was measured in capstone documentation as a result of TDRs, in contrast to documentation prior to TDRs. Students' learning and reflections also showcased valuable benefits to TDRs, which have proven to be successful in facilitating both formative and summative assessment during the capstone design experience.