Innovation in Quantum Pedagogy, Application, and its Relation to Culture (IQ-PARC) is a team of Purdue faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students who collaborate and work for the National Defense Education Program (NDEP) for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, outreach, and workforce initiative programs. We promote a STEM-literate workforce by providing learning opportunities for youth to understand basic principles and applications of quantum concepts through a variety of both face-to-face and online activities. This research brief describes accomplished tasks in the K-12 education space (e.g., quantum-infused middle school curriculum unit) and shares upcoming plans within the project timeline.

Assessing creativity in engineering education is challenging due to the reliance on domain-general measures that may overlook discipline-specific innovation. This study examines the Engineering Creativity Assessment Tool (ECAT) as a psychometrically sound, domain-specific alternative to the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT). Data from 199 undergraduate engineering students were analyzed to investigate convergent and discriminant validity between ECAT and TTCT's verbal and figural forms. ECAT demonstrated strong internal consistency ( α = .89) and a validated four-factor structure including Fluency, Originality, Cognitive Flexibility, and Creative Strengths. Correlational analyses revealed moderate positive associations between ECAT and TTCT verbal measures, with minimal overlap with figural subscales, supporting both convergent and discriminant validity. Mediation analyses further indicated that ECAT originality and cognitive flexibility partially explained these relationships. These findings establish ECAT as a reliable, context-specific tool for capturing creativity in engineering education. Broader implications for creativity assessment in STEM education are discussed, and directions for future research are outlined.

Creativity is essential in engineering education, enabling students to develop innovative and practical solutions. However, assessing creativity remains challenging due to a lack of reliable, domain-specific tools. Traditional assessments like the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) may not fully capture the complexity of engineering creativity. This study introduces and validates the Engineering Creativity Assessment Tool (ECAT), designed specifically for engineering contexts. ECAT was tested with 199 undergraduate students who completed a hands-on design task. Five trained raters evaluated the products using the ECAT rubric. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a four-factor structure: fluency, originality, cognitive flexibility, and creative strengths. Reliability was high, convergent and discriminant validity were examined using TTCT scores, revealing moderate correlations that support ECATs domain specificity. ECAT offers a reliable, valid framework for assessing creativity in engineering education and provides actionable feedback to educators. Future work should examine its broader applicability across disciplines and instructional settings.