Research Evidence of the Impact of Engineering Design on Technology and Engineering Education Students

Abstract

Within the technology education classroom, engineering design has been targeted as key to improving learning, enhancing interest in STEM careers, and positively impacting students. The purpose of this research review was to determine whether the research evidence bears these claims. Four scholarly journals that focus on technology and engineering education research were reviewed resulting in the identification of 25 empirical research studies from the past decade. Across all of the studies, data had been collected from a total of 6,397 technology and engineering education students to analyze: (a) how students design, (b) student learning outcomes, and (c) student interests and perceptions. Just over half of the studies used qualitative methods to explore how small samples of students engage in engineering design. Although the overall research evidence of the impact of engineering design on technology and engineering students is sparse, there are some important descriptive findings relating to how engineering design can impact student learning and how students allocate their time and access information while designing.