Springer Creative Ways of Knowing in Engineering

This book offers a platform for engineering educators who are interested in implementing a “creative ways of knowing” approach to presenting engineering concepts. The case studies in this book reveal how students learn through creative engagement that includes not only design and build activities, but also creative presentations of learning, such as composing songs, writing poems and short stories, painting and drawing, as well as designing animations and comics. Any engineering educator will find common ground with the authors, who are all experienced engineering and liberal arts professors, who have taken the step to include creative activities and outlets for students learning engineering. From the Back Cover This book offers a platform for engineering educators who are interested in implementing a “creative ways of knowing” approach to presenting engineering concepts. The case studies in this book reveal how students learn through creative engagement that includes not only design and build activities, but also creative presentations of learning, such as composing songs, writing poems and short stories, painting and drawing, as well as designing animations and comics. Any engineering educator will find common ground with the authors, who are all experienced engineering and liberal arts professors, who have taken the step to include creative activities and outlets for students learning engineering. • Demonstrates various methods for returning to the basics of engineering education, which include design and creativity, teamwork and interdisciplinary thinking; • Discusses a timely topic, as higher education puts more attention on the student experience of learning in all disciplines; • Includes actual student products demonstrating “creative ways of knowing in engineering”; • Highlights multiple ways to teach engineering concepts. About the Author Diana Bairaktarova, is an assistant professor of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech and the Director of the Creativity Inspiration Engineering Design Aptitudes and Abilities (CIEDAA) Lab. She holds an MS degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, and a PhD in Engineering Education from Purdue University. Bairaktarova's ongoing research interests span from engineering to psychology to learning sciences, as she uncovers how individual performance and professional decisions are influenced by aptitudes and abilities, personal interests, and manipulation of physical and virtual objects.  Diana joined the Department of Engineering Education in the fall of 2015 after being an assistant professor of engineering practice at the University of Oklahoma's College of Engineering. She taught several fundamental and engineering design courses in the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, where the design of artifacts was addressed from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes opportunity determination through inspiration, ideation, and implementation using a design thinking framework.  She is a past recipient of The University of Oklahoma Presidential Dream Course Award for her course “User-Experience Design: From Renaissance Engineering to Design for Innovation.” At University of Oklahoma Diana was also the proud faculty advisor of the Sooner-Off Road student-led team.  Diana has over fifteen years of experience working as a Design and Manufacturing Engineer. By providing applications of problem- and project-based learning in the exploration of new designs that stimulate creativity, Dr. Bairaktarova aims to prepare her students with innovative thinking and a desire to acquire new skills and knowledge, preparing them to face rapidly changing technologies. Ranging from the exploration of humanly made objects to the education of her students, she strives to enhance her students’ ability to explore and express their creativity, discover their own potential talent, and ultimately to bring their ideas to fruition. Michele Eodice is