Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Graduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Mikayla Dutkiewicz, Senior Rebecca DeMarco, Graduate Student
Lead Presenter's Name
Mikayla Dutkiewicz
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor Name
Bryan Watson
Abstract
This quality improvement study investigates how functional decomposition instruction influences the quality, quantity, variety, and novelty of bioinspired engineering design solutions among undergraduate students. The study aims to validate the effectiveness of functional decomposition for enhancing engineering education. This study is inspired by the belief that bioinspired design principles can make a system more resilient and innovative when used in conjunction with functional decomposition. Despite the widespread application of bioinspired design, the advantages of specifically using functional decomposition have not fully been explored. By conducting a controlled experiment with undergraduate participants from the College of Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, this study compares the outcomes of students trained exclusively in bioinspired design against those who received additional instruction in functional decomposition. Both groups were presented with the same engineering design challenge to assess the impact of functional decomposition on the innovativeness and quality of their solutions. Results showed a significant increase in solution quantity for students receiving functional decomposition instruction but no significant differences in quality, variety, or novelty. This suggests functional decomposition may enhance productivity but not necessarily the innovativeness of bioinspired design solutions, highlighting the need for further research and refined instructional methods in engineering education.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Bioinspired Design Instruction Methods: A Quality Improvement Study
This quality improvement study investigates how functional decomposition instruction influences the quality, quantity, variety, and novelty of bioinspired engineering design solutions among undergraduate students. The study aims to validate the effectiveness of functional decomposition for enhancing engineering education. This study is inspired by the belief that bioinspired design principles can make a system more resilient and innovative when used in conjunction with functional decomposition. Despite the widespread application of bioinspired design, the advantages of specifically using functional decomposition have not fully been explored. By conducting a controlled experiment with undergraduate participants from the College of Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, this study compares the outcomes of students trained exclusively in bioinspired design against those who received additional instruction in functional decomposition. Both groups were presented with the same engineering design challenge to assess the impact of functional decomposition on the innovativeness and quality of their solutions. Results showed a significant increase in solution quantity for students receiving functional decomposition instruction but no significant differences in quality, variety, or novelty. This suggests functional decomposition may enhance productivity but not necessarily the innovativeness of bioinspired design solutions, highlighting the need for further research and refined instructional methods in engineering education.