Using environment based design method to improve mechanical curriculum teaching

ABSTRACT

This paper regards the mechanical curriculum teaching as a design problem and uses environment-based design (EBD) method to solve it. First, environment components and their relations of the mechanical curriculum are found out by recursive object model (ROM). Then, conflicts in the teaching process are identified by analysing the above relations. Finally, solutions for solving these conflicts are generated. The proposed method is applied to mechanical manufacturing technology foundation (MMTF) curriculum with 217 students in grade 2016 in China. The solutions used in MMTF include decreasing the mental stress of students, developing more experimental projects, applying real cases and projects, adopting variety of assessments and so on. Compared with the performance of students in grade 2015, the average attendance rate and final scores are both increased, and three of the four achievement values of graduation attributes are risen. The practical example illustrates the EBD method is effective in improving curriculum teaching.

KEYWORDS:

• Environment-based design
• mechanical curriculum teaching
• mechanical manufacturing technology foundation

Acknowledgments

The author indebted to Prof. Yong Zeng for his support and help.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the [Industry-University Cooperative and Cooperative Education Project of the Ministry of Education] under Grant [number 201801086021]; [Undergraduate Education Teaching Reform Research Project of Chongqing University of Science and Technology] under Grant [number 201820]; and [Chongqing Higher Education Teaching Reform Research Project] under Grant [number 193246].

Notes on contributors

Jie Meng

Jie Meng is a Professor of School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China. She obtained her PhD degree at Chongqing University in 2008. Her research interests include mechanical manufacturing and advanced manufacturing technology.

Gaofa He

Gaofa He is a Professor of School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China. He obtained his PhD degree at Chongqing University in 2010. His research interests include precise measurement, intelligent manufacturing.

Xiang Li

Xiang Li is a lecturer of School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China. He obtained his Master degree at Chongqing University in 2005. His research interests include technology of mechanical manufacturing and mechanical engineering education.

Liancheng Ren

Liancheng Ren is a Professor of School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China. He obtained his PhD degree at Southwest Petroleum University in 2007. His research interests include mechanical product design, finite element analysis.

Chaoqun Dong

Chaoqun Dong is a Lecturer of School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China. He obtained his PhD degree at Southwest Petroleum University in 2014. His research interests include mechanical product design innovation, innovative teaching methods.

Min Liu

Min Liu is an Associate Professor of School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China. She obtained her Master degree at Chongqing University in 2007.Her research interests include mechanical theory and design.