The Integrated Learning Factory: An Educational Paradigm's First Year Of Operation

The Integrated Learning Factory (ILF) is a facility that supports product realization within a new practice based engineering curriculum developed and adopted by the participating universities of the Manufacturing Engineering Education Partnership (MEEP). MEEP comprises the University of Washington, Penn State University and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez with Sandia National Laboratories. The first year of operation of the University of Washington’s ILF is described including the successes and problems. 1) Manufacturing Engineering Education Partnership (MEEP) The Manufacturing Engineering Education Partnership (MEEP), which consists of Penn State University, University of Washington, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, and Sandia National Laboratories, was formed in order to provide a new, practice-based, manufacturingoriented engineering curriculum. MEEP provides a new paradigm for the undergraduate engineering experience by providing a proper balance between engineering science and engineering practice. The partnership, with essential input from industry leaders, established an Integrated Learning Factory (ILF) at each school and intimately coupled it with an alternative Core Curriculum. The ILF concepts at each of the partner schools are described in DeMeter, et al. and Lamancusa, et al. 2 2) Integrated Learning Factory (ILF) Description The Integrated Learning Factory at the University of Washington is now operating in its second year. As a new instructional laboratory of the College of Engineering, it simulates a design and manufacturing workplace and supports the new interdisciplinary Product Realization minor, which encourages a hands-on approach to integrating design, manufacturing and business. The Integrated Learning Factory is a new approach to design and manufacturing engineering education. It combines curriculum revitalization with coordinated opportunities for application and hands-on experience. P ge 364.1 2 The original Engineering Annex at the University of Washington, Figure 1, was built for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 1909. It is one of only two Exposition buildings that survive today. During the Exposition, the ground floor housed exhibits by manufacturers hoping to supply the growing Northwest with the latest in industrial equipment. Figure 2 shows a steampowered generator in what is now the Integrated Learning Factory. Now, some eighty-eight years later, the lab area has been transformed into a contemporary learning center for the latest in design and manufacturing technology. Figure 1: Engineering Annex in 1909