Creativity In Engineering Education Research Articles

Theatre-based techniques for enhancing creativity in engineering education: An evaluation study of the creativity academy program

In response to the underemphasis on creativity in college engineering education and the limited knowledge and skills of early-career engineering faculty to nurture students’ creativity, the Creativity Academy was designed as a faculty development program. Using theatre-based approaches, the program aimed to train early-career engineering faculty members to incorporate creativity into their classrooms. Two research questions were addressed: how faculty incorporate creativity after participating in the Creativity Academy and how students perceive faculty integration of creativity into their classes. Interviews were conducted with ten early-career engineering faculty members who participated in the training, as well as focus group interviews with each faculty participant’s students. Results indicated that faculty participants mastered at least two creativity-fostering exercises to apply in their teaching, revised their syllabi, and incorporated these exercises to engage students and develop their creativity. Students confirmed the changes in their professors’ teaching practices and expressed excitement. The study concludes that providing more opportunities for engineering students to develop creativity is essential, and the implications of the findings are discussed with suggestions for future Creativity Academy programs.

CREATIVITY IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Ponte Academic JournalFeb 2017, Volume 73, Issue 2 CREATIVITY IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Author(s): M.V. Kuimova ,D. D. Burleigh, D. A. RodionovJ. Ponte - Feb 2017 - Volume 73 - Issue 2 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2017.2.6 Abstract: It is impossible to imagine our technology-based society without engineering. Engineers create the complex objects and systems we use every day. Engineers must be able to view things in new and imaginative ways, and to generate or recognize new ideas. To solve engineering problems today, engineers should use established science and methods as well as innovative, creative approaches. To solve technical problems, engineering graduates must clearly understand the problem and its potential impacts. They must have the ability to think “outside the box” and to solve problems in creative ways. This paper discusses the importance of teaching and encouraging creativity in engineering education as well as methods of developing programs to accomplish this. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

A Study on the Application and Effects of Smart Support System for Creativity in Engineering Education

A Study on the Application and Effects of Smart Support System for Creativity in Engineering Education

Fostering creative engineers: a key to face the complexity of engineering practice

Recent studies have argued a shift of thinking about engineering practice from a linear conception to a system understanding. The complexity of engineering practice has been thought of as the root of challenges for engineers. Moreover, creativity has been emphasised as one key capability that engineering students should master. This paper aims to illustrate deeply why engineering education needs to foster creative students to face the challenges of complex engineering work. So a literature review will be provided by focusing on the necessity of developing creativity in engineering education. As the literature demonstrates, this paper reveals the understanding of complexity in engineering practice and the roles of creativity in engineering practice. In addition, the barriers to creativity in current engineering education and some implications of pedagogic strategies will be discussed. So this paper contributes to rethinking the engineering profession in a social context and a link between creativity research and engineering education.

Barriers to Creativity in Engineering Education: A Study of Instructors and Students Perceptions

This paper studies “creativity” in engineering education, by examining the perception of instructors and students. We aim to identify factors that impede a creative environment (creativity blockers). The study entails a review of established research in the fields of psychology and educational psychology to identify factors which create an educational environment conducive to creativity. These factors are formalized in the Ten Maxims of Creativity in Education, a set of criteria that constitute an educational environment conducive to fostering creativity in students. These maxims form the basis for our work in examining the contemporary engineering education. Extensive surveys are designed, created, distributed, and statistically quantified to study the perceptions of engineering educators and students, in comparison to nonengineering educators and students. The results unfortunately show that current engineering students experience almost none of the Ten Maxims of Creativity as part of their academic experiences.