2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering graduates are expected to navigate stakeholder complexities and approach design problems from multiple viewpoints; however, the emphasis on preparing students for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam can drive pedagogy toward discrete, multiple-choice questions rather than open-ended reasoning. This NSF PFE: RIEF project uses an art observation technique known as Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to practice observation, communication, and active listening. These skills support students’ perspective-taking, which is essential to professional engineering practice. Engineering students enrolled in a first-year Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering course (n=104) visited the campus art museum and were provided with two docent-facilitated tours of different types of artwork. Pre- and post-data were collected using the established Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) perspective-taking subscale. Outcomes were compared with students from course sections that did not attend the museum or engage in VTS (n = 107) but completed the instrument and course curriculum the same semester. Preliminary results indicate a significant difference between the pre- and post-survey in the VTS sections (p=0.02), and no difference in the pre- and post-scores in the control group (p=0.54). Initial quantitative evidence suggests that VTS increases perspective-taking among engineering students. VTS is a low-cost, low-stakes avenue to develop perspective-taking competencies for undergraduate engineering students.