Integrative and interdisciplinary learning modules are effective for broadening students' perspectives on engineering and its role in society¶

Design · All designs
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 causal), q1 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article suggests that integrative learning modules, designed to connect curricular content with career expectations and engage holistic problem-solving, effectively broaden first-year students' perceptions of engineering. The Water Module required students to "explore controversial social issues and evaluate how these issues can influence the success of an engineered solution," integrating engineering calculations with humanities-based data sources like stakeholder interviews and government documents.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

Module must be broken down into components and learning tasks throughout the semester requiring data collection and thorough analysis

Constraints¶

Students self-selected into courses, so differences cannot be solely linked to content and pedagogy
Professor style, gender, practices, research, and department could have influenced results
One course alone may not solve limitations in the entire curriculum

Target Learners¶

First-semester, first-year college students of any major

Learning Goals¶

Understanding the engineering profession's interdisciplinary nature and societal impact
Developing holistic approaches to solving complex problems

Claims¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

Singer, K. P., Foutz, T., Navarro, M., & Thompson, S. (2015). Investigating The Extent That An Integrative Learning Module Broadens The Perception Of First-Year Students About The Engineering Profession. American Journal of Engineering Education, 6(2), 99-110. https://www.cluteinstitute.com/ojs/index.php/AJEE/article/view/9603

Page metadata

Field	Value
`type`	`design`
`id`	`integrative-modules-broaden-engineering-perspectives`
`title`	`Integrative and interdisciplinary learning modules are effective for broadening students' perspectives on engineering and its role in society`
`description`	`The article suggests that integrative learning modules, designed to connect curricular content with career expectations and engage holistic problem-solving, effectively broaden first-year students' perceptions of engi...`
`status`	`review`
`generated`	by `process:settle-candidates` on `2026-11-03`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
`sources`	1 — `singer-2015`

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