Fostering creative problem solving and collaborative skills through impromptu design in engineering design courses

摘要

There is an increasing recognition of the importance for universities to develop curricula that fosters creative problem solving and collaborative teamwork skills as a key element of an engineering degree program. The historical emphasis on convergent thinking skills that currently dominates engineering tertiar y education is seen as an imbalanced response to the skill sets necessary for design innovation, both individually and within sophisticated multidisciplinary teams, just when they are needed most. Such skills are highly valued by employers, and their development needs to be actively encouraged and facilitated by engineering educators. The role that synthesis or creativity plays in design is a much overlooked aspect in engineering education largely due to the perception that there is a lack of scientific rigour associated with divergent thinking and collaborative skills. Over the past three years a learning activity referred to as ‘Impromptu Design’ has been utilised in a first year design course at the University of New South Wales Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering degree program. Impromptu Design provides a first concrete experience in an implementation of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model as a major pedagogical approach for the design course. The objectives of this approach include the development o f divergent thinking skills in engineering students and the improvement of the first year experience in enjoyment of the intellectual excitement and challenge of studying in their field. Impromptu design competitions are a very effective starting point in the model for engaging students in problem identification, formulation, solution and group work, as well as providing an opportunity for students to develop a sense of identity with the discipline and meet other students in the course.