Engaged student learning project: Challenges and lessons learned

Abstract

This engaged student learning project is focused on the development and implementation of a new software-assisted, project-based technical elective course and its associated laboratory in building energy efficiency and green building design. The primary goals of the project are to engage mechanical engineering students in the learning process and to make them prepared for the workforce in building-related fields. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on challenges of conducting this project for the first year as well as lessons learned in overcoming these challenges. The course was implemented for the first time in Fall 2016 in a minority serving university. Three core components of the project are (a) establishing a building energy efficiency laboratory; (b) developing and implementing a new elective course curriculum; and (c) developing partnership with local building-related industry. All three core components that were slated to happen as part of the initial planning and development phase were completed. The major challenge that inevitably altered the project timeline was with the logistics of the lab establishment. There were challenges in delivering course materials with the new approach as well. The challenges at different stages of implementation of the project on allocating time, budget, and personnel as well as the curriculum development and delivery will be shared in this paper. Lessons learned from the first year implementation of this project can be used by the Principle Investigator as a formative assessment to improve the process for the second year of implementation. This paper can also inform engineering education researchers of the challenges and potential strategies to overcome these challenges and help them be more strategic during proposal writing and implementation of similar projects.