Effects of Cornerstone Design Experience on Innovative Behavior and Perceptions in engineering for First-Year Engineering Students

This Work-In-Progress paper on innovative practices evaluated the effects of a blended cornerstone design course which was offered to first-year engineering students. In particular the changes of students' individual innovative behavior and their various perceptions in engineering are studied and discussed. Recent studies indicated that cornerstone design courses have the potentials to develop innovative minds' of students, integrating their engineering knowledge to solve real-world, interdisciplinary problems. A first year engineering course, First Year Cornerstone Engineering Design Project Course (ENGG1100), was designed based on a collaborative problem-based learning environment which supports students to explore different disciplines of engineering, apply new concepts acquired through online modules, design engineering artifacts, in this case an 'airship', and test and modify their artifact in an iterative design process cycle. Pre- and post-self-reported surveys were administered to measure the effects of this course. Results were analyzed and discussed. Our analysis shows that the students' innovative behavior and their engineering design self-efficacy changed positively after students went through the cornerstone design experience. The results from this trial have led to inspiring insights in future studies on approaches to fostering innovation mindsets.