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Session 2793

Enhancement of Freshman Design Experience by Integration of Service Learning

Abhijit Nagchaudhuri, James W. Dally University of Maryland Eastern Shore/University of Maryland, College Park

ABSTRACT The Introduction to Engineering Design course (ENES 100) has evolved over the last decade at University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) and integrates ideas, opinions and experiences of many faculty members who have experimented with teaching design to freshman students. The course involves freshman students in a “hands on” product realization process. The product development project is conducted by student teams of five or six. The typical product chosen, like many engineering products is synthesized from components and engineering principles that cover a spectrum of topics. Compartmentalization of knowledge within subject boundaries is avoided allowing the instructor to introduce material from several courses the students will undertake in subsequent years. During the product realization process the instructor has an opportunity to emphasize communication skills, teamwork, design process, computer aided design and drafting, software applications for document preparation, spreadsheet and presentation development.

While developing the course at University of Maryland, Eastern Shore (UMES)1 the basic structure and content have remained unaltered from the course developed at College Park. However, suitable refinements have been incorporated such that all the four phases of “Experiential Learning Cycle” are emphasized.

The “Experiential Learning” paradigm developed has been further refined and integrated with “Service Learning” efforts. Student teams have provided valuable service to the community by presenting their design experience in the course, their perception of engineering and the engineering design process to pre-college students in local high schools as their “Service Learning” projects. The activity has not only provided “service” to pre-college students but has also enhanced communication skills of the engineering freshmen. The engineering freshmen have reflected that the activity has influenced “learning outcomes” of a richer flavor and dimension encompassing civic responsibility and life-skills over and above academic outcomes. Moreover, a survey of the pre-college students who participated in this endeavor indicates that

1 University of Maryland, Eastern Shore (UMES) offers an ABET accredited Engineering Degree in collaboration with Clark School of Engineering at University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) to the residents of Eastern Shores of Delmarva peninsula, Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright ©2001, American Society for Engineering Education

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Dally, J., & Nagchaudhuri, A. (2001, June), Enhancement Of Freshman Design Experience By Integration Of Service Learning Paper presented at 2001 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 10.18260/1-2--9213