Integrating Service Learning Into Introduction To Mechanical Engineering

Service learning is a method under which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized activities that are conducted in and meet the needs of a community. Service learning is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum of a freshman Introduction to Mechanical Engineering course by providing the context of teaching and learning design. The emphasis is on experiential learning, and service is a by-product of the learning experience. At the University of South Alabama, Service Learning is implemented by a partnership between the SECME (Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering) program of the Mobile County Public School System in Mobile, Alabama and the Mechanical Engineering Department. First-year mechanical engineering students are formed into design teams, and each team is paired with two middle-school teachers serving as customers for the design projects. The design teams design, produce and test an instructional module and manipulate(s) that promote a thematic approach to mathematics and science instruction and hands-on learning in middle-school classrooms. Course content and implementation plan are described in the paper, and results of student and teacher assessment will be presented at the conference.