Re Engineering Open Ended Problems & Computer Simulations For Effective Development Of Student Design Skills

Considering the broad philosophy of Design Across the Curriculum (DAC), a variety of strategies can be employed to integrate engineering design coursework during the four-year curriculum using just-in-time learning, an increasing breadth-then-depth approach. The sophomore and junior years, in particular, can be used to reinforce introductory design activities experienced as a freshman, and to develop enhanced design skills, readying students for senior design and eventual practice. New multi-media courseware, such as Bedford & Fowler’s Engineering Mechanics (1995) which incorporates Working Model simulations, utilizes prepared learning modules to simulate the behavior or performance of bodies subjected to various forces and moments. While these simulations are $open-ended # they have little, if any, design content . Rather, what is needed, is an overall context, a firm foundation of how open-ended problems and simulations serve the whole design process. This paper describes one dynamics example as prepared by Bedford & Fowler and a custom module that models a bungee jumper. Then, the educational aspects of these examples are discussed in the context of design content. A framework of guidelines is presented for educators, including the example bungee jumper problem reconstituted for enhanced design skill development. 1.0 INTRODUCTION What is an open-ended problem? What is a design problem? Is there a difference? What role does simulation play in open-ended problem solving, or in the design process? How can engineering science problems be posed as design problems? In general, where and how should design fit into the four-year curriculum? The engineering faculty at Boise State University considered these aspects and others during the spring of 1996, as we designed the 131-semester credit hour curriculum for the Mechanical Engineering Department recently chartered by the state of Idaho (1995). While ABET specifies minimum criteria for four year engineering programs, the Mechanical Engineering faculty agreed to exceed these minimum requirements. Namely, we agreed to develop and deliver appropriate, high quality and comprehensive course work exceeding the minimum requirements for ABET accreditation, especially with regards to Design and how to integrate design across the curriculum . The essential aspect of DAC is that “.... Design cannot P ge 375.1 be taught in one course; it is an experience that must grow with the student’s development” (ABET, 1996 a). A draft policy on DAC was prepared and distributed to the faculty in August 1996. A revised draft, specific to the Mechanical Engineering program, was reviewed and adopted by the department in May 1997. In it, an underpinning design philosophy encourages design throughout the ME curriculum, involving a progressive breadth and depth strategy for appropriate design knowledge, methods, and skills, to be included in most of the required ME courses. The following design emphases were suggested to help faculty develop their curriculum: freshman yeardesign as a process; sophomore year solving open-ended problems; junior year component and system design; and senior year capstone design project. This paper primarily deals with using carefully constructed open-ended problems and simulations, which enhance design skills, leading to more effective DAC. The following sections discuss open-ended problems and simulations in engineering science analysis, the effective use of computer simulations, engineering design research at BSU, desirable design skills, and methods of posing engineering problems to enhance design skills. Design problem examples are also presented and discussed. 2.0 SOLVING OPEN-ENDED PROBLEMS 2.1 Open-ended Problems Open-ended problems may be defined as those that have more than one answer, that the problems are defined in such a manner that they do not close-in on a particular or unique solution. Such problems typically pose non-specific situations, in an ill-defined fashion, requiring a variety of assumptions, which produce a multitude of feasible solutions. In the process of solving an open-ended problem, the problem solver makes assumptions, explicitly filling in the blanks by assuming specific values for problem variables and parameters. Then, by substituting these values into a system of well-defined modeling equations, the problem solver analyzes whether a solution has been obtained. The modeling equations are usually derived from mathematics, science, engineering science, and economics. For example, consider the following open-ended problem: &GVGTOKPG VJG FKCOGVGT CPF JGKIJV QH CP WRTKIJV E[NKPFTKECN EQPVCKPGT VJCV EQWNF JQNF CV NGCUV EWDKE OGVGTU QH YCVGT #UUWOG VJCV UVTGPIVJ CPF FGHNGEVKQP KUUWGU ECP DG KIPQTGF The problem solver could choose to consider the minimum volume requirement of 100 m and, for sure, the relation V = • D 2 H / 4. The “solution” is represented by an infinite number of combinations of diameter and height that satisfy the volume requirement. This problem can be made more open-ended by relaxing the constraint that the shape must be cylindrical, thereby permitting spherical, box, and pyramidal shapes. As shown in this example, open-ended problems can also help to develop critical thinking and creativity.