TY - GEN
T1 - Facilitating effective, geographically distributed engineering design teams
AU - Davidson, Barry
AU - Dannenhoffer, John
AU - Gay, Geraldine
AU - Ingraffea, Anthony
AU - Jones, Scott
AU - Lee, Jae Shin
AU - Stefanone, Michael
AU - Zehnder, Alan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2003 IEEE.
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - With recent advances in technology, computer-mediated communications (CMC) are beginning to facilitate effective interactions of geographically distributed scientific research and engineering design teams. However, changes in both the technology and culture are likely necessary for CMC to realize its potential, and a project at Syracuse and Cornell Universities is being conducted to address these required technological solutions as well as the associated behavioral changes. In this project, students at both Universities participate in a senior-level engineering course on thermo-structural design of the lower surface of a next-generation reusable spacecraft. The course requires project work by teams comprised of students from both Universities, and therefore provides the context by which to study CMC, to teach students about collaborative engineering design, and within which to address behavioral changes needed to successfully combine the two. This paper first describes the course and supporting technology. This is followed by a review of qualitative evaluations by students from the two years that the course has been offered. These evaluations indicate that students taking the course receive training not only in discipline specific subject matter, but on working as member of a design team, distributed collaborative engineering, and advanced information technologies that is perceived as valuable educationally and for its expected benefits in their careers.
AB - With recent advances in technology, computer-mediated communications (CMC) are beginning to facilitate effective interactions of geographically distributed scientific research and engineering design teams. However, changes in both the technology and culture are likely necessary for CMC to realize its potential, and a project at Syracuse and Cornell Universities is being conducted to address these required technological solutions as well as the associated behavioral changes. In this project, students at both Universities participate in a senior-level engineering course on thermo-structural design of the lower surface of a next-generation reusable spacecraft. The course requires project work by teams comprised of students from both Universities, and therefore provides the context by which to study CMC, to teach students about collaborative engineering design, and within which to address behavioral changes needed to successfully combine the two. This paper first describes the course and supporting technology. This is followed by a review of qualitative evaluations by students from the two years that the course has been offered. These evaluations indicate that students taking the course receive training not only in discipline specific subject matter, but on working as member of a design team, distributed collaborative engineering, and advanced information technologies that is perceived as valuable educationally and for its expected benefits in their careers.
KW - Computer-mediated communication
KW - Distance collaboration
KW - Multidisciplinary engineering design
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U2 - 10.1109/FIE.2003.1264773
DO - 10.1109/FIE.2003.1264773
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84946038131
T3 - Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE
SP - F4F13-F4F18
BT - 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education, FIE 2003
Y2 - 5 November 2003 through 8 November 2003
ER -