The Engineering Design Process (EDP) is a general theoretical framework often used for teaching engineering, STEM, invention, and even science, particularly in K-12 education. While most EDPs used in education are depicted as linear or circular, true design processes are highly creative, non-linear, and often involve ill-posed problem statements and solution criteria. These traits make it particularly difficult for high school engineering teachers, who tend to skip over key elements of human-centered design, where an engineer takes time to understand the problem through research, interviews, prior literature searches, market analysis, and brainstorming the steps where diversity of thought and experience are of the most value. We are seeking to use AI to help high-school engineering teachers provide students with a more balanced approach across all steps of the engineering design process, and real-time, judgement-free feedback as they navigate open-ended challenges. Currently, the focus is on gaining a deeper understanding teachers' needs and pedagogical practices around the EDP which will inform our future design.
In the Technology-Integrated Learning Environments (TILES) lab we explore how technology meditates human learning in a variety of formal and informal contexts. Work in this lab is grounded in the Learning Sciences and explores how technologies can augment social and individual learning in contexts including museums, citizen science, classrooms, and online.
