Active Learning Approaches in Engineering Design Courses

The pendulum of engineering education is swinging from an emphasis purely on theory to a balance between concrete experiences and analysis. This balance calls for engaging students in active learning through new materials such as hands-on activities, interactive multimedia, and group learning. This balance with concrete experience is especially needed in “building-block” courses that create the foundation for advanced design courses. If we expect students to perform well with open-ended, project-centered problems, we need to provide a pedagogical basis across the entire undergraduate curriculum. This paper presents such a basis for one important engineering core topic: mechanics of materials. Active learning concepts applied in mechanics of materials courses are discussed, including specific examples of hands-on, multimedia, and group design exercises.