A manufacturing curriculum using a Student-driven Pedagogy of Integrated, Reinforced, Active Learning (SPIRAL) approach

Abstract

Engineering is continuously evolving and producing increasingly complex systems. The complexity of these systems requires a wider breadth of material to be covered, which makes it more difficult to provide high quality education. Also, while student numbers are vastly increasing, faculty, staff, and resources are dwindling. The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah has been focusing on a new curriculum that covers multiple engineering subjects, design techniques, methodologies, and knowledge of skills in professional practice. This is known as the Student-driven Pedagogy of Integrated, Reinforced, Active Learning (SPIRAL) approach. This paper describes teaching manufacturing using the SPIRAL approach and focuses on the first year of the curriculum. This approach will give students more manufacturing experience leading to quicker and better conceptualized designs. To help counter the problem of shrinking teaching resources, with respect to the size of the engineering student body, the manufacturing SPIRAL approach will use carefully designed supplemental materials including a series of teaching videos followed by certification exams based on these videos. The students must pass both a written and in-person practical exam to use university manufacturing equipment. The approach will also allow faculty and staff to better monitor students to ensure safe and efficient working environments. The implementation will undergo initial evaluation this spring through assessment by a small group of users (both students and faculty). Any necessary changes will be made prior to the planned implementation for all freshman during the upcoming 2012-13 academic year. © 2012 American Society for Engineering Education.