Haslam, M. J. (2022, May), Guiding First-year Students through the Design Process in Linked Computer Aided Design and Technical Writing Courses   Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference, Vancouver. 10.18260/1-2--44737

\bibitem{asee_peer_44737}
  Haslam, M. J. (2022, May), \emph{Guiding First-year Students through the Design Process in Linked Computer Aided Design and Technical Writing Courses }
  Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference, Vancouver.
  10.18260/1-2--44737

Matthew J Haslam.  "Guiding First-year Students through the Design Process in Linked Computer Aided Design and Technical Writing Courses ".  2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference, Vancouver, 2022, May.  ASEE Conferences, 2022.  https://peer.asee.org/44737 Internet.  30 Apr, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_44737}
  Matthew J Haslam.
  "Guiding First-year Students through the Design Process in Linked Computer Aided Design and Technical Writing Courses ".
  \emph{2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference, Vancouver, 2022, May}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2022.
  https://peer.asee.org/44737 Internet.  30 Apr, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_44737
author = "Matthew J Haslam"
title = "Guiding First-year Students through the Design Process in Linked Computer Aided Design and Technical Writing Courses "
booktitle = "2022 ASEE Zone IV Conference"
year = "2022"
month = "May"
address = "Vancouver"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/44737}
number = {10.18260/1-2--44737}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The authors plan to submit a complete paper.

At the recommendation of the College of Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, faculty at   _____ University began integrating communication instruction with the senior capstone design classes in 2003. This effort was formalized in 2013 when a one-semester Speech class was replaced with a two-semester Advanced Technical Communication class that is co-taught with the capstone classes. 

For these co-taught courses, a communication instructor and an engineering instructor work in tandem to guide student teams through the year-long design process. Teams report on their progress and results through technical reports and presentations modeled after those used in industry. 

The authors, who co-teach a mechanical engineering senior capstone design class, have observed that students come to the class unprepared for the open-ended, team-based work expected. While students have learned to solve a variety of teacher-provided engineering problems, they have not learned to follow an engineering process to identify and formulate a real-world problem and to apply their problem-solving skills to that problem. 

Moreover, students have worked in project teams in earlier classes, but these projects are smaller in scope than the two-semester capstone projects. The students also have little experience preparing documents and presentations as a team. 

To address these deficiencies, the authors initiated a first-year “cornerstone” design experience that combines a first-year Computer Aided Design (CAD) class with a Technical Report Writing class to mimic the capstone experience. Each student is tasked with identifying a real-world problem and writing a Request for Proposal (RFP) that defines the problem and identifies top-level requirements. A subset of these problems is selected, and teams are assigned to solve the problems through the remainder of the semester. 

Each team conducts trade studies and presents their selected concepts in a Conceptual Design Review. The teams write a proposal that is responsive to the RFP. As their design matures, they present a Preliminary Design Review where they are expected to have complete CAD models of the design. The team project culminates with a Critical Design Review where they must show full compliance with the design requirements. The CDR is accompanied by a complete drawing package suitable for manufacturing.

Students learn the SolidWorks CAD modeling tools, formal drawing standards, and design for manufacturability. They also learn to form and communicate evidence-based technical arguments as they develop skills for writing documents and making presentations as a team. 

Initial results of these linked courses are promising. The students indicated in an anonymous, mid-semester survey that they value this combined approach. They believe they are learning the design, teamwork, and communication skills they will need in their future careers, and they appreciate learning these skills in the context of an engineering problem. The authors have also observed improvements in the team-based writing and presentations.

Despite the successes, the authors have recognized multiples challenges that will be addressed in the next offering of the linked courses.

AU  - Matthew J Haslam
CY  - Vancouver
DA  - 2022/05/12
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Guiding First-year Students through the Design Process in Linked Computer Aided Design and Technical Writing Courses 
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/44737
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--44737
ER  -