This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)
This engineering education research award to Purdue University will study the attitudes and threshold concepts of first and second year engineering students towards the relationship between environmental sustainability and engineering. The study employs an innovative research design because the researchers investigate students' conceptions and attitudes (and change of both) by asking students to co-design an educational game in a participatory mode. The results of the project, including a "serious game" or game for learning as well as scholarly publications will be broadly disseminated through research conferences and publications as well as through internet portals. The goal is to better prepare students for the practice of engineering through developing tools to enhance understanding of environmental sustainability. These techniques are expected to increase students' interest in engineering and will enhance the number who complete engineering degrees and are ready to fill engineering jobs.
