Reducing the Friction in Fluid Mechanics? Integrating Educational Psychology with Engineering Education

This paper presents findings from a pilot study designed to bring principles of educational psychology into engineering education with the specific goal of improving student learning. Traditionally, upperdivision undergraduate courses in engineering have been taught with a lecture-oriented, teachercentered methodology, but educational research findings urge engineering educators to switch to more student-centered instructional practices. The instructors in this project worked together to address these issues in a ways that reflect the current trend toward psychologically active learning in engineering education that includes new ways of presenting the required information in ways that students responded to. Early results show success for engineering students with increased awareness of their own levels of learning, and survey data revealed that the students appreciated these curricular modifications.