The benchtop hybrid-Using a long-term design project to integrate the mechanical engineering curriculum

TY - JOUR

T1 - The benchtop hybrid-Using a long-term design project to integrate the mechanical engineering curriculum

AU - Constans, Eric

AU - Bhatia, Krishan

AU - Kadlowec, Jennifer

AU - Merrill, Thomas

AU - Zhang, Hong

AU - Angelone, Bonnie

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © American Society for Engineering Education.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - This paper describes the use of a large-scale, multi-semester design project as a means of integrating six courses in the mechanical engineering curriculum. The project, a bench-scale hybrid powertrain, is built up-component by component-as students advance through the curriculum. The authors used the project to test two research hypotheses: 1) that a long-term, large-scale design project would increase long-term subject matter retention and 2) that a long-term, large-scale design project would increase students' design and problem-solving skills. The authors found that the design project had no measurable effect on long-term subject matter retention, but did have an impact on design thinking and skill. The paper gives a full description of the project and assessment effort, and provides some of the insights acquired by the authors while conducting this research. A complete description of the project and videos of student designs can be found on the project website, www.benchtophybrid.com.

AB - This paper describes the use of a large-scale, multi-semester design project as a means of integrating six courses in the mechanical engineering curriculum. The project, a bench-scale hybrid powertrain, is built up-component by component-as students advance through the curriculum. The authors used the project to test two research hypotheses: 1) that a long-term, large-scale design project would increase long-term subject matter retention and 2) that a long-term, large-scale design project would increase students' design and problem-solving skills. The authors found that the design project had no measurable effect on long-term subject matter retention, but did have an impact on design thinking and skill. The paper gives a full description of the project and assessment effort, and provides some of the insights acquired by the authors while conducting this research. A complete description of the project and videos of student designs can be found on the project website, www.benchtophybrid.com.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85079029300

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85079029300#tab=citedBy

M3 - Article

SN - 1941-1766

VL - 7

JO - Advances in Engineering Education

JF - Advances in Engineering Education

IS - 3

ER -