Infusing a Concurrent Engineering Model into Academia

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The project is redesigning the way in which future machinists, technologists, and engineers are educated at community colleges by using concurrent engineering principles. Three entry level core courses at Monroe Community College are being designed for students from all three disciplines (machining, engineering technology, and engineering science) to take them together. These courses enable the student to gain a basic understanding of how to design and build engineering systems. The nine modules in the three courses include both online learning and traditional class and lab instruction. An interdisciplinary capstone design course is being created for small, interdisciplinary teams of students in their final semester from all three majors. Additional project activities include a student competition and collaborative research with a local company. The project is also creating and testing low priced, commercially available student kits, including the hardware and course materials required.Project evaluation includes an assessment of the impact of the interdisciplinary approach on student retention as well as the effectiveness of the learning modules and the quality of the web-based content. Course curriculum is distributed through the SUNY Faculty Council of Community Colleges and chief academic officers at each applicable campus. Course hardware and web links are publicly accessible on-line and the student kits are made commercially available. Further dissemination includes presentations at national engineering education conferences and journal article submissions. The project will enhance our understanding of the interdisciplinary approach on student retention.