Scaffolding Complex Engineering Problems for Student Engagement and Enjoyment
Redesign a complex, open-ended engineering problem to simulate the engineering problem solving experience more authentically!
Project description
UB undergraduate engineering students are learning to solve complex, open-ended engineering problems as part of their required coursework. One goal of assigning these types of problems is to better prepare students for their future engineering jobs, where they will have to make decisions about dimensions and materials, grapple with trade-offs, and deal with cost and safety constraints.
Learning to solve these problems is new and overwhelming for early engineering students. Over the past few years, Dr. Yucalan has worked with Dr. Nightingale to design and implement a complex, open-ended problem for their EAS 207 Statics sections. The semester-long problem-solving experience requires instructor feedback early and often, yet instructors only have limited time to grade and provide feedback.
Dr. Yucalan has made multiple iterations of the problem to improve the student and faculty experience in completing and grading these problems. This project will continue improving the current problem with a focus on making it more authentic. Specifically, the project will work to improve the scaffolding, resources, and feedback given to students as they solve the problem. The project will also aim to investigate tools to help the instructor provide better feedback to the students.
Project outcome
The project will begin in January 2026 by collecting data through observing and interviewing statics students solving the problem. During summer 2026, project students will be mentored by Dr. Yucalan to redesign the problem. In Fall 2026, the redesigned problem will be assigned in the statics course and project students will collect data to confirm the changes are successful and write publications on the process and results.
Project details
| Length of commitment | Year-long |
| Start time | Spring |
| In-person, remote, or hybrid? | Hybrid |
| Level of collaboration | Small group project (2-3 students) |
| Benefits | Stipend |
| Who is eligible | Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have taken EAS 207. |
Core partners
- Researchers and professors within the Department of Engineering Education.
Project mentor
Doga Yucalan
Assistant Professor of Teaching
Engineering Education
Phone: (716) 645-3336
Email: dogayuca@buffalo.edu
Start the project
- Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
- After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.)
Preparation activities
Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase.
Attached are the second and third assignments of the most recent version of the complex, open-ended problem assigned in EAS207 by Dr. Yucalan. Do your best to complete the individual and team tasks for each assignment on your own, without seeking any additional guidance: just follow the steps described within each assignment. If you have already solved this complex open-ended problem as part of your Statics course (during Spring 2025 or Fall 2025 semesters), complete them again from scratch without referring to your previous notes. Keep detailed notes about your answers to individual and team tasks questions, note any parts of the documents you find confusing or redundant, and record the total time you took to complete each assignment.
Keywords
engineering, engineering education, mechanics, statics, OEMP, complex engineering problem, open-ended engineering problem, technical communication