Mechanical Engineering Education Handbook

This book is believed to be the first to specifically address mechanical engineering education. It is divided into three sections: pedagogy, curriculum, and future. The pedagogy section contains seven chapters on various aspects of enhancing student learning. Chapter one concerns research regarding mechanical engineering (ME) students' learning preferences. ME students are much more visual and prefer more problem solving compared to the general population. Chapter two is on leveraging technology to elevate pedagogy. The authors show many different ways of using technologies, such as the use of iMovie and Doceri, to enhance the practice of teaching. Chapter three on mastery-based learning concerns assessing students on what skills they can do well rather than almost solely on how well they do on exams. Chapter four discusses how team-based assignments can be used to meet multiple student outcomes. Examples are given for a fluid mechanics lab and a thermodynamics class. Chapter five describes how team-based active learning can be used to expose students to the aerospace design process and industry practices. Chapter six shows how a problem-based learning approach was converted to an entrepreneurially minded learning approach in a mechatronics design course. The application of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) framework showed a significant increase in the students' entrepreneurial mindset. Chapter seven recommends the inclusion of open-ended problems in courses at all levels to help prepare students for real-world problems, which often have multiple possible correct solutions. Section two on curriculum has five chapters more specifically on ME courses and programs.