“Teams teaching engineering”: A flexible hands-on project promoting makerspace usage in large introductory lecture classes

Abstract

Experiential learning and hands-on projects are often considered incompatible with larger lecture classes with over 50 students and no lab sections. A project for such classes has been developed where students work in teams to build a visual aid illustrating a class concept, use it to teach someone, then write about what they have learned. “Teams Teaching Engineering” can be used as one large homework assignment or a semester-long project that adds makerspace visits and a reflective essay. Student surveys indicate that the project motivated incoming students to explore and use the university makerspaces.