Engineering virtual studio: KEEN modules to foster entrepreneurial mindset in an integrative, first/second year online course

Engineering is a field that interacts with its surroundings by applying science to practical problems. In developing future engineers, teaching the technical fundamentals is only part of the task; engineering programs must also develop engineers that are able to apply those skills into the real world. Example problems are sometimes shown in classes, but lack the interactivity necessary to instill the skill in students. Introducing students to entrepreneurship directly promotes creativity and marketplace connection while indirectly instilling connection to real world problems and promoting scholarly and pre-professional identity within engineering. Here we introduce foundations to an entrepreneurial mindset to freshmen and sophomores via online modules, which we developed and piloted this academic year. We have previously built a one-credit, online, pass/fail course, Engineering Virtual Studio (EVS), that builds understanding across foundational coursework and into real-world relevance through discussions with peers and upperclassman mentors. Our new Entrepreneurial KEEN Modules integrate into EVS investigations into market and society driven problems, to which students explore solutions in consultation with campus and local experts, all in an integrative context. This instills a mindset of problem establishment and problem solving as cornerstones to foster real-world relevance, motivation, and goals for students beginning as early as possible in their undergraduate study. This entrepreneurial foundation helps provide context and relevance to foundational material, and fosters independence and personally relevant vantage points on coursework and the whole of the major. Here we report on our work-in-progress and initial formative assessment of performance and motivation of students in the entrepreneurial modules.