Knowledge transfer: Does more experience yield improved design quality?

Engineers must be able to transfer knowledge from previous experiences in order to solve complex engineering tasks. Transfer of knowledge is described as “the learning process involved when a person learns to use previously acquired knowledge, skills, competence, or expertise in a new situation” Therefore, we sought to explore how previous engineering, design, and mathematics experiences impact the quality of a design solution. In this study, 23 first-year engineering students, with diverse mathematics and design experiences, participated in research study. In this study, each student completed a pre-study survey, designed a playground for a fictitious neighborhood while thinking aloud, and completed an interview immediately after completing the playground task. They were asked to reflect on previous mathematics and design experiences and asked to make comparisons between those experiences and the design study they had just completed. The design session and the interview were recorded and the design artifacts were collected. Using Hailikari's model, the research team investigated the how knowledge transfer may impact design solution quality. The findings of the research have implications for approaches educators can use to help students apply knowledge from previous experiences and design high quality solutions.