The Engineering Design Log: A Digital Design Journal Facilitating Learning and Assessment (RTP)

You be the Judge: When Competitions Employ an Engineering Design Rubric

“…Although dreams of an advanced placement exam in the form of a standardized portfolio assessment of the design process appear to have faded, aside from its centrality to PLTW's EDD course the EDPPSR has contributed to other instructional and assessment initiatives. It informs Linked Learning units (https://www.cteonline.org/curriculum/outline/engineering-stem-integrated-projects-model/ MxP78R) and provided the template for rubrics used by another innovative e-portfolio program for both middle and high school students (Moore et. al., 2016).…”

The 'Structured' Engineering Design Notebook: A New Tool for Design Thinking within a Studio Design Course

“…The engineering design process is a "decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet" [8] a specific set of criteria and in which "designers generate, evaluate, and specify concepts for devices, systems, or processes whose form and function achieve client's objectives or users' needs while satisfying a specified set of constraints" [1], (see [4] for a process diagram). While there is not consensus within the engineering field about how to best represent this process [5], [9], for the purpose of this paper, the engineering design process was conceived as an iterative approach to solving authentic problems that includes: identifying a problem; developing possible solutions; constructing prototypes; testing and optimizing prototypes; and communicating the solution. When an engineer engages in the engineering design process to find a solution to a problem or meet a stated need, she can apply the tools and mindset of design thinking to her work.…”

“…Professional engineers commonly use blank bound books, often called engineering journals, portfolios, or logs, as a place for logging data, sketching, recording intellectual property, and other purposes [5], [11]. In some contexts, electronic logs or online portfolios may be used instead of a physical notebook [11], [12].…”

“…In academic and industry laboratories, these notebooks are permanent, legal documents that have strict protocols for use in order to clearly document procedures, establish intellectual property, and protect research subjects [12], [13]. These blank books are a tool of the engineering profession, but are also viewed as pedagogical tools, recommended as a best practice for undergraduate engineering faculty to use for both instructional and assessment purposes [3], [5], [11].…”

“…Whereas a blank notebook is just that, completely blank, the structured engineering design notebook is comprised of prompts, tasks, and spaces for writing and sketching that help to illuminate the process of engineering design and provide design thinking scaffolds. Interestingly, although these types of more structured design notebooks are a tool seen in K-12 science classrooms where there is a clear need to scaffold the design process for young designers [5], [6], they are largely absent at the undergraduate level.…”