Characterizing the 'design-science gap' in an engineering design-based laboratory unit in an introductory physics course for future engineers

It is essential to equip the next generation STEM workforce with skills that are crucial to solve real-world problems. The success of this preparation rests largely on the instructional innovations in science classrooms for postsecondary students. Reform documents and research suggest that integrating engineering design (ED) experiences add value to science courses. In this study we explore the ways in which students in an introductory physics course developed a solution to a prescribed real-world problem. By carefully analyzing students' lab reports, we attempted to gain an understanding into the design science connection in their solution. We coded for five aspects to gain insights into the effectiveness of the scaffolds we had provided to guide the students through the task. Results of this study have implications on how to provide appropriate scaffolds, particularly in ED based tasks to maximize science learning.