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Multidisciplinary Project: A Tool for Learning the Subject
Author(s) -
Jahanian S.,
Matthews James M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of engineering education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.896
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 2168-9830
pISSN - 1069-4730
DOI - 10.1002/j.2168-9830.1999.tb00427.x
Subject(s) - multidisciplinary approach , curriculum , work (physics) , engineering management , minor (academic) , confidentiality , test (biology) , medical education , engineering , subject (documents) , psychology , mathematics education , pedagogy , computer science , mechanical engineering , sociology , medicine , paleontology , social science , computer security , political science , law , biology , library science
In recent years, with the national trend toward business downsizing, job market needs have changed. Small companies are becoming the primary employers of engineers and technologists, who must assume multidisciplinary roles. Multidisciplinary projects can provide students with valuable preparation for this requirement. The objectives of the work described in this paper are: 1) help technology students develop, to some extent, the abilities of engineering students, 2) to enhance technology students' interest in a multidisciplinary curriculum. To help achieve these objectives, students at Temple University were given an electromechanical project to design a model of a smart conveyor belt system that could recognize the size of different blocks. Statistical analysis of a confidential student survey showed that a significant number of students positively rated the benefits of working on the project. Survey performance indices included pedagogy, interactions with Electrical Engineering students and faculty, and obtaining hands‐on experience. Project students scored statistically higher on a theory test, and 34% of the students were motivated to complete a minor in electromechanical engineering technology because of the interdisciplinary project.