文章基本信息

标题：A Cornerstone Design Module in First Year Engineering
本地全文：下载
作者：Peter M. Ostafichuk ; David Sommer ; Carol P. Jaeger 等
期刊名称：Proceedings of the Canadian Engineering Education Association
出版年度：2018
DOI：10.24908/pceea.v0i0.13096
出版社：The Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA)
摘要：This paper describes a new five-week cornerstone design module at the conclusion of first year engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The objective of this cornerstone module is to bring together the multiple course themes—developed over the preceding six modules and 18 academic weeks—into a single, integrative and culminating experience. The module builds on the previous course topics, and specifically emphasizes design, stakeholder consultation, prototyping, sustainability, and communication in a unified project experience. Through a mix of analytical and physical prototyping, teams design a pilot rainwater harvester system for small, remote communities. Teams specify the system components in their design, and submit those through an online form. All systems are then simulated off-line in a detailed MATLAB model that tracks weather, physical performance, cost, maintenance, health and safety risks, and more. The culminating event for the module is a formal oral presentation followed by a timelapse video of the simulations of the different teams’ rainwater harvester system designs. The outcomes to the module have been very positive. The module has successfully run for three years with over 400 teams. Feedback through surveys shows students find the cornerstone project meaningful and helpful in developing their ability to use simulation and numerical modelling in design. Students have also rated the module highly in terms of the relevance to their degree, and the importance of the learning outcomes to engineers. Primary challenges noted to date include inequities in student workload within a team, due to shifting priorities as final exams approach, and ability to update the project each year to maintain a new challenge for each cohort.