A problem associated with getting students to participate more fully in certain engineering courses, is the imposition, by many university administration’s, on the availability of time and resources which can be expended within an undergraduate programme. In an attempt to overcome this problem, this paper investigates the use of multimedia and computer technology in the delivery of complex non-quantitative topics in undergraduate manufacturing courses. It also discusses the application of these technologies and evaluates their effects on student learning as well as reviewing the specific educational theories and strategies that underlie these concepts.
The ongoing research described in the paper is motivated by a desire to improve student engagement, enthusiasm and capability in undergraduate manufacturing engineering courses, and to assist students in perceiving the topics covered as being coherent and integrated bodies of knowledge, thus reinforcing the CDIO concept of integrated and active participative learning.
We describe the steps taken to confirm a theoretical basis for the development of immersive and narrative based manufacturing engineering education. We draw upon existing research and relevant literature which has been synthesized and filtered to select relevant and appropriate methodologies and pedagogical theories applicable to these issues.
Research results collected from direct observation, questionnaires, interviews and student journals, are evaluated to determine whether enhanced learning outcomes were achieved by the techniques used and to what extent they complement the CDIO concepts.
2nd International CDIO Conference, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, 13 – 14 June 2006