Negative knowledge and a novel approach to support MCAD education

Abstract

Traditional computer-aided design (CAD) education in mechanical engineering still remains a major challenge today both in industrial settings and in academia. As in many other CAD-related engineering disciplines, there are several shortcomings to be surmounted in the dissemination and development of procedural knowledge and skills in the form of know-how related to the operation of CAD systems. Unfortunately, current educational philosophy does not offer a pedagogy providing sufficient strategic knowledge and understanding to enable students to use CAD systems as intended - that is as knowledge-intensive design and communication tools to properly develop and convey design intent. However, apart from knowing what to do, there is another important aspect to strategic knowledge which is frequently over-looked and ignored in research today, and that is knowing how to avoid serious mistakes. This is a central quality of professional expertise, which is commonly referred to in the literature as negative knowledge. Research presented and discussed in this paper is aimed at providing a framework for negative knowledge and domain knowledge related model evaluation concepts that allow for direct translation of this approach into practice, with the goal of improving learning behavior, skill acquisition and competency building for CAD education in mechanical engineering. © 2013 CAD Solutions, LLC.