Interactive visualization to teach engineering design competencies

Abstract

Interactive visualizations have several known benefits to learning in the science and engineering domain, such as: promoting scientific discovery learning and scaffolding inquiry. While some interactive visualizations address lab related skills, most focus on domain-based conceptual understanding. The affordances of interactive visualizations and simulations could make them an effective tool to learn broader scientific abilities such as design. We suggest the use of interactive visualizations to develop engineering design competencies such as structuring open problem, divergent and convergent thinking, and multiple representations. We identify the pedagogical features in the interactive visualizations that promote design competencies. We report on a study to develop design competencies in engineering undergraduate students using interactive visualizations.