Development of Engineering Design Competencies Using TELE-EDesC: Do the Competencies Transfer?

In this paper we investigate if a technology enhanced learning environment for engineering design competencies can promote transfer of these competencies. We developed TELE-EDesC, a self-learning technology enhanced learning environment to teach Structure Open Problem competency, one of the first competencies used in the engineering design thinking process. TELE-EDesC contains learning activities and instructional scaffolds that have been known to promote transfer. In this study, students worked with TELE-EDesC learning activities in the topic of analog electronics. The two-part study investigated if: i) students can acquire Structure Open Problem competencies by learning with TELE-EDesC, and ii) the TELE-EDesC (experimental group) students can transfer these competencies by structuring a new open design problem in a new topic in analog electronics. Analysis of students´ solutions demonstrated that students who learnt with TELE-EDesC scored higher on a posttest that measured Structure Open Problem competencies than students in a control group. Further, TELE-EDesC helped students transfer some competencies to the new topic, but they struggled to transfer competencies involving higher order cognitive skills.