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Session 3153

A Multidisciplinary Team Design Project for First-Semester Engineering Students and Its Implementation in a Large Introduction to Engineering Course Kenneth W. Hunter, Sr. Tennessee Tech University

Abstract

Numerous studies of freshmen engineering programs have promoted the use of team design projects and hands-on activities in an effort to provide freshmen with more engineering content in the early semesters, a better connection to the profession of engineering, and an opportunity to express their creativity through the design process. This paper describes a team design project that was successfully implemented in a one-credit introduction to engineering course by a single faculty member with approximately four hundred first-semester engineering students divided among fifty-one design teams. The project was based on the design of a vehicle similar to the United States Army’s Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB) and included requirements for conceptual design, engineering graphics, engineering analysis, engineering economics, and construction of a working prototype. The scope of the project was broad enough to include design issues relevant to most disciplines of engineering, thereby providing a multidisciplinary element. The realistic basis of the project provided opportunities to discuss related global and societal issues, such as the need for rehabilitation and replacement of various forms of national infrastructure. Although this project was more challenging than previous ones, the number of teams delivering a working prototype increased significantly. Factors that may have contributed to the improved results include the placement of the project in the first half of the semester and the availability of a dedicated workshop for the freshmen students. The results of a student survey regarding teamwork and other project issues are also included.

1. Introduction

All of the major NSF-funded engineering education coalitions (e.g., ECSEL, Foundation, Gateway, SUCCEED) have recommended the infusion of design, teamwork, and active learning concepts into freshman engineering curricula. Likewise, numerous studies of freshmen engineering courses and programs have promoted the use of team design projects and hands-on activities in an effort to provide freshmen with more engineering content in the early semesters, a better connection to the profession of engineering, and an opportunity to express their creativity through the design process. A challenge, however, has been to implement these concepts with large numbers of students when constrained by limited class time and personnel resources. This paper describes a team design project that was successfully implemented in a one-credit introduction to engineering course by a single faculty member with approximately four hundred first-semester engineering students divided among fifty-one design teams.

Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Hunter, K. (2004, June), A Multidisciplinary Team Design Project For First Semester Engineering Students And Its Implementation In A Large Introduction To Engineering Course Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--13512