Modeling and model-eliciting activities (MEAs) as foundational to future engineering curricula

This paper reports on research and theory-building efforts associated with models and modeling in undergraduate engineering education. The presentation focuses on a collaboration comprising a seven-university scale-up project funded by the US National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) Program. The CCLI funding includes separate linked grants to the University of Pittsburgh, Purdue University, the US Air Force Academy, California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo, the Colorado School of Mines, Pepperdine University, and the University of Minnesota. Additionally, Makerere University in Kampala Uganda and a K12 school in Kasana are partnered with this project to develop and implement MEAs in those venues.The project seeks to enhance the complex reasoning and problem solving competencies. The collaborators are testing a form of problem-based learning, called model-eliciting activities, or MEAs, in undergraduate engineering curriculum.

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