Engineering paper on classroom design honored at national ASEE Conference

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A paper on how to design innovative teaching and learning spaces, authored by School of Engineering Dean Jenna Carpenter and assistant professor Lee Rynearson, was recognized as among the best at the American Society of Engineering Education’s 124th annual Conference & Exposition in Columbus, Ohio, in June.

The paper, “Design of Classlab and Supporting Spaces to Enable a Multidisciplinary Hands-on First-Year Engineering Design Curriculum,” was honored in the Experimentation and Lab-Oriented Studies Division. Carpenter said their goal was to improve student learning, mastery, retention and success, and to support the school’s hands-on, project-based approach to engineering, which makes use of multiple design projects and student teams.

“We are honored to be recognized for our unique approach to engineering education and the role that innovative teaching and learning spaces play in supporting the success of our students,” said Carpenter.

Rynearson said the design of educational spaces made a difference in the first year of Campbell’s School of Engineering, which launched last August.

“So it made sense to share those designs and the research behind them with other educators,” he said.

This year’s conference featured more than 400 technical sessions, with peer-reviewed papers spanning all disciplines of engineering education.

The ASEE, founded in 1893, is a nonprofit organization of individuals and institutions committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology.