NDLI: Mechanical Engineering Tools: A Problem-Based, Introductory Design Course at the American University of Beirut

Content Provider	The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Digital Collection
Author	Hamade, R. F. Ghaddar, N.
Copyright Year	2009
Abstract	Given the prevailing trend of ever decreasing number of required credits, this course solves one of the thorny issues which engineering departments encounter while developing curricula: to teach or not to teach ‘tools’. Those ‘tools of the trade’ include some truly ‘enabling technologies’ comprised of such ‘soft tools’ as CAD/CAM, MATLAB, project planning, controls and of ‘hard tools’ such as reverse engineering, assembly, machine shop fabrication processes, and printed circuit board technology. This course, ME Tools, was introduced in order to offer a viable platform which helps introduce the freshman mechanical engineering student to some of these ‘tools’ in a problem-based context. This goal is met via course organization and prevailing practices conducive to ‘active learning’ via activities and structure typically associated with collaborative and cooperative learning methods. ME Tools climaxes in a 5-event contest during which custom electric microcars are put to action in what is known around the American University of Beirut (AUB) campus as the ‘Gee Whiz contest’. Furthermore, and since the course activities revolve around one central theme, designing and racing an electric microcar, the true integral nature of this course is authenticated and revealed via this problem-based learning approach. This is accomplished as a team effort where teamwork experience and communication skills are highly stressed and practiced. The teams are organized so that the student team members are assigned to one of four functions: manager, systems engineer, analyst, and detail designer. The manner by which the students are assigned to one of these functions is done based on the students’ responses to a short (20 questions) questionnaire designed for this purpose. Assessment wise, grading of certain course grade components is mapped to the specific learning outcomes based on the cooperative, collaborative, and problem-based learning methods.
Starting Page	473
Ending Page	478
Page Count	6
File Format	PDF
ISBN	9780791843802
DOI	10.1115/IMECE2009-10196
e-ISBN	9780791838631
Volume Number	Volume 7: Engineering Education and Professional Development
Conference Proceedings	ASME 2009 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition
Language	English
Publisher Date	2009-11-13
Publisher Place	Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	Design education Reverse engineering Systems engineers Computer-aided design Mechanical engineering Design Interpersonal skills Printed circuit boards Undergraduate students Students Machine shop practice Teams Manufacturing Performance Matlab
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Mr. Siddhartha Mukherjee siddhartha@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	ndl-support@iitkgp.ac.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Libarray of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Results of an Industry/University Survey of Machine Systems Design Education

Improving Student Design Skills Through Successive Design and Build Projects

Starting on the Right Track: Introducing Students to Mechanical Engineering With a Project-Based Machine Design Course

Cognitive Empathy in Design Course for a More Inclusive Mechanical Engineering

Hands on Efforts Designed to Increase Design and Manufacturing Preparedness of Undergraduate Students

Systems Engineering Education in an Accredited Undergraduate Engineering Program

Technology Cost Modeling for the Manufacture of Printed Circuit Boards in New Electronic Products

An Affordable Machining Laboratory Approach for Undergraduate Engineers

A Virtual Prototyping Framework for Electronics Manufacturing

Mechanical Engineering Tools: A Problem-Based, Introductory Design Course at the American University of Beirut

Similar Documents

Results of an Industry/University Survey of Machine Systems Design Education

Improving Student Design Skills Through Successive Design and Build Projects

Starting on the Right Track: Introducing Students to Mechanical Engineering With a Project-Based Machine Design Course

Cognitive Empathy in Design Course for a More Inclusive Mechanical Engineering

Hands on Efforts Designed to Increase Design and Manufacturing Preparedness of Undergraduate Students

Systems Engineering Education in an Accredited Undergraduate Engineering Program

Technology Cost Modeling for the Manufacture of Printed Circuit Boards in New Electronic Products

An Affordable Machining Laboratory Approach for Undergraduate Engineers

A Virtual Prototyping Framework for Electronics Manufacturing

Mechanical Engineering Tools: A Problem-Based, Introductory Design Course at the American University of Beirut