Investigating design canvases’ impact on student performance
Advisor(s)
Dr. Abigail Clark, Dr. Blake Hylton, Dr. Todd France
Confirmation
1
Document Type
Paper
Location
ONU McIntosh Center; Dean's Heritage Room
Start Date
8-4-2025 3:25 PM
End Date
8-4-2025 3:40 PM
Abstract
First-year engineering (FYE) programs are important to a student’s academic development but lack universal learning objectives and course outcomes. FYE courses commonly introduce students to the university and profession while also covering professional and engineering skills. At Ohio Northern University (ONU), students practice problem framing and solving skills by utilizing problem framing canvases that guide them through initial steps of a design process. Four canvases help the students identify an opportunity statement, stakeholders, and design specifications. The canvases were initially developed at ONU to encourage FYE students to support engineering problem framing and to enable a user-centered and informed design. While the canvases are theorized to aid the design process, their direct impact on students’ education development is still being investigated.
This study aims to understand how the problem framing canvases impact FYE students in their introductory engineering courses. Approximately twenty-five volunteer students, placed into small groups based on a range of factors, completed study activities. The groups completed a set of canvases based on a design prompt and the artifacts were evaluated using a predeveloped rubric. Students were given the opportunity to express their opinions about the design canvases and FYE course in focus groups. Researchers conducted study activities at both the beginning and end of the 2024 spring semester.
Researchers observed and analyzed a variance in student group performance based on the grouping factors. Students provided critical feedback in the focus groups that is being used to refine the canvases to promote a streamlined design process.
Recommended Citation
Hockstok, Ashley, "Investigating design canvases’ impact on student performance" (2025). ONU Student Research Colloquium. 24.
https://digitalcommons.onu.edu/student_research_colloquium/2025/Papers/24
Open Access
Available to all.
Investigating design canvases’ impact on student performance
ONU McIntosh Center; Dean's Heritage Room
First-year engineering (FYE) programs are important to a student’s academic development but lack universal learning objectives and course outcomes. FYE courses commonly introduce students to the university and profession while also covering professional and engineering skills. At Ohio Northern University (ONU), students practice problem framing and solving skills by utilizing problem framing canvases that guide them through initial steps of a design process. Four canvases help the students identify an opportunity statement, stakeholders, and design specifications. The canvases were initially developed at ONU to encourage FYE students to support engineering problem framing and to enable a user-centered and informed design. While the canvases are theorized to aid the design process, their direct impact on students’ education development is still being investigated.
This study aims to understand how the problem framing canvases impact FYE students in their introductory engineering courses. Approximately twenty-five volunteer students, placed into small groups based on a range of factors, completed study activities. The groups completed a set of canvases based on a design prompt and the artifacts were evaluated using a predeveloped rubric. Students were given the opportunity to express their opinions about the design canvases and FYE course in focus groups. Researchers conducted study activities at both the beginning and end of the 2024 spring semester.
Researchers observed and analyzed a variance in student group performance based on the grouping factors. Students provided critical feedback in the focus groups that is being used to refine the canvases to promote a streamlined design process.