Integrating Engineering and Communication: A Study of Capstone Design Courses

Abstract

-This paper presents results from a study investigating the use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as a framework for integrating communication into engineering courses. The results of a two-year study of capstone design courses suggest that PBL provides the opportunity to develop communication assignments that enable students to understand not only particular document formats, but also the role texts play in the workplace for both writers and readers. Surveys and interview data demonstrate that students learn to use texts as tools to advance engineering work and communicate key project information to managers. The framework thus effectively helps students treat communication activities as a critical element of professional engineering practice. transaction between individuals in specific contexts to accomplish particular goals. In the language of activity theory, texts are mediating artifacts that writers/speakers and readers/listeners use to accomplish external goals. Index TermsImportantly, being "good writers" does not automatically make students "effective communicators." Texts that are elegantly written or that follow the correct document formulas may still not achieve the desired outcomes if the writer fails to take into account the needs, interests, and goals of the particular audience in the particular situation at hand. For example, a student may consider a proposal as a document that follows a specific format: an executive summary, a statement of need, a project description, a project plan, a budget, and a statement of qualifications. The "formula" is the operative identifier. However, experts treat a proposal as a tool whereby those with money to spend and goals to achieve select "worthwhile" individuals or organizations to receive the money and achieve the goals.Within that activity system, the written proposal is often only one of multiple texts used in the transaction; phone calls, face-to-face meetings, pre-proposals, statements of qualifications, and similar texts may all play critical roles in the larger activity of earning and spending money to achieve desired outcomes. Thus an NSF proposal that follows the specific guidelines defined in the Guide to Writing Proposals must still address the broader impact in terms that matter explicitly to the program writing the solicitation. In addition, principle investigators also frequently contact program managers by phone or email, visit NSF offices prior to submitting grants, suggest proposal reviewers with particular expertise in the area in question, and thus create a whole set of written and oral texts around the individual proposal itself.Given that communicating involves far more than grammatical correctness and readable style, then, the question for engineering educators is "How do we design and sequence instruction in communication to best prepare students for the roles they (and their texts) will play in professional contexts?" Paretti has written elsewhere about specific guidelines for designing effective assignments and grading rubrics ...

Contextual Constraining of Student Design Practices

“…Instructors can also apply the structure of assignments in the academic context to support student practice. By using constraints to sequence assignments associated with a design project, instructors can support students to stay on track and develop design artifacts over the progress of the project (Paretti & Burgoyne, 2005).…”

Engineering Faculty on Writing: What They Think and What They Want

“…For instance, Paretti and Burgoyne recommend problem-based learning as an approach that can enable greater attention to communication instruction and practice in upper-level design courses, finding that both students and faculty found these kinds of writing assignments useful. 20 And House et al described a curriculum where approaches such as student writing portfolios, incorporating writing into several engineering courses, and using a combination of rubrics and peer review improved student learning outcomes related to communication. 21 While these sources advocate for more writing within the engineering curriculum, Matusovich et al go so far as to call for communication and engineering to be "embedded" together within the classroom, 16 and Paretti et al argue that communication instruction should be situated within an engineering context.…”

An International Study of the Teaching and Learning of Communication: Investigating Changes in Self-Efficacy in Four Undergraduate Engineering Programs

“…The development of the survey began with a review of the research on teaching engineering students communication skills [5][6][7][8][9], as well as the experience of instructors who teach professional communication. We also drew on the classic literature on self-efficacy, which, according to Bandura, is the belief in the ability to succeed in a specific domain or with a specific task [10][11][12][13][14].…”

“…We examine commonalities in students' selfefficacy for those skills, what they perceive their weaknesses to be, and their goals for strengthening their ability to communicate. Since we assert that 21st-century engineers are expected to communicate engineering concepts and highly technical matters to those without an engineering or technical background, we study student self-efficacy for that ability as well [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”