Maria-Isabel Carnasciali

Integrating e-Learning Modules into Engineering Courses to Develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset in Students

Engineering graduates who will be leaders in today’s rapidly changing environment must possess an entrepreneurial mindset and a variety of professional skills in addition to technical knowledge and skills. An entrepreneurial mindset applies to all aspects of life, beginning with curiosity about our changing world, integrating information from various resources to gain insight, and identifying unexpected opportunities to create value. The Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) defines curiosity, connections and creating value as three core components of an entrepreneurial mindset. These 3Cs coupled with associated engineering skills forms KEEN’s entrepreneurial mindset framework. An entrepreneurial mindset enables engineers to develop sound technical solutions that address customer needs, are feasible from a business perspective, and have societal benefit. The Tagliatela College of Engineering at the University of New Haven is working to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in its engineering students through a four-faceted framework based on KEEN’s constructs that includes: 1) developing an entrepreneurial mindset amongst faculty; 2) providing curricular components that develop specific student knowledge and skills; 3) structuring the physical environment to promote entrepreneurial minded learning; and 4) providing opportunities for students to engage in meaningful extra-curricular activities. This paper focuses on the curricular component of this framework. As part of these curricular activities, 18 short, self-paced, e-learning modules will be developed and integrated into courses spanning all four years across all engineering and computer science disciplines. Each module contains readings, short videos and self-assessment exercises. Five of these e-learning modules were developed in fall 2014, four of these five were piloted in the Spring 2015 semester, and all five modules were broadly deployed in the Fall 2015 semester. A flipped classroom instructional model is used to integrate the modules into courses. Content is delivered via a short online module outside the class, and student learning is improved by reinforcing the content covered in the module through class discussions and contextual activities. Direct and indirect assessment is performed through formative and summative class assessments and module specific pre and post surveys, respectively. The five integrated e-learning modules presented in this paper are: 1) Developing customer awareness and quickly testing concepts through customer engagement, 2) Learning from failure, 3) Cost of production and market conditions, 4) Building, sustaining and leading effective teams and establishing performance goals, and 5) Applying systems thinking to solve complex problems. The first two modules were integrated into freshman classes, the third into a sophomore class, the fourth into third year laboratory courses, and the fifth into senior design courses. This paper describes the learning outcomes and the reinforcement activities conducted in the courses into which they were integrated for two of these modules. The findings of the module specific surveys and the assessment results are also presented.

Developing Entrepreneurial Thinking in Engineering Students by Utilizing Integrated Online Modules

Maria-Isabel Carnasciali is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Tagliatela College of Engineering, University of New Haven, CT. She obtained her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2008. She received her Bachelors of Engineering from MIT in 2000. Her research focuses on the nontraditional engineering student – understanding their motivations, identity development, and impact of prior engineering-related experiences. Her work dwells into learning in informal settings such as summer camps, military experiences, and extra-curricular activities. Other research interests involve validation of CFD models for aerospace applications as well as optimizing efficiency of thermal-fluid systems.