Evaluating Idea Quantity and Variety When Using Digital Collaboration Tools to Support Brainstorming in Non-Collocated Teams

Abstract

The advent of modern digital communication technology has enabled engineers to effectively collaborate regardless of team members’ geographic locations. As such, introducing engineering students to virtual environments and collaborative tools is particularly important to prepare them for careers in increasingly digital environments. This study investigates how integrating online collaboration tools in students’ idea generation activities impacts the i) quantity and ii) variety of ideas generated after a peer-feedback session. Students from five sections of a first-year engineering design course were assigned to either a collocated design team or a non-collocated design team to participate in a collaborative design feedback activity. Students individually generated an idea set using an online brainstorming tool (Stormboard), received peer-feedback via one of two delivery conditions (in-person or virtual through video conferencing), and revised their idea set based on the received feedback. Each final idea set was analyzed and compared to identify any differences in the final idea quantity and variety due to the assigned feedback delivery condition. Results revealed a statistically significant difference, but with minimal realistic impact on the final quantity of ideas (equivalent to a difference of one idea between groups). No statistically significant difference was found in the final variety of ideas generated between collocated and non-collocated design teams after the peerfeedback session. This suggests that feedback provided through digital collaboration tools may be used to support idea generation in non-collocated teams without being detrimental to ideation solutions. The implications of these findings are significant for faculty or students who may be involved in online learning activities centered on engineering design.

Work in Progress: Engineering together - Applying remote collaborative technology to an in-person undergraduate engineering course

“…Augmented reality has been utilized in first-year engineering courses, where students who collaborated in augmented reality performed better on learning outcome tasks than those who collaborated normally [20]. In a different study, student teams in design ideation groups for their first-year engineering project were split into two modalities; virtual teams that used online note-sharing application and in-person teams that would meet normally [21]. No significant differences were found between the group's design ideation development, suggesting CSCL technologies are as effective as in-person modality in first-year engineering contexts for design ideation [21].…”

“…In a different study, student teams in design ideation groups for their first-year engineering project were split into two modalities; virtual teams that used online note-sharing application and in-person teams that would meet normally [21]. No significant differences were found between the group's design ideation development, suggesting CSCL technologies are as effective as in-person modality in first-year engineering contexts for design ideation [21]. Another study examined how students used Google Docs to manage their team workflow and knowledge generation.…”

“…A shared goal of the CSCL methodologies is the improvement of student engagement. In previous studies, measurement of engagement included grades [26], [27], [28], student distributed surveys [19], [22], or number of ideas generated [21]. To expand valid measures, exploration of student engagement literature outside of engineering contexts resulted in more specific ways to measure student engagement.…”