Preparing Next Generation Mechanical Engineers for a Smart World: Integrating Mechatronics and Internet-of-Things Technologies

该项目旨在通过开发结合了物联网(IoT)技术的现代化机电一体化课程，使未来的机械工程劳动力能够为工业4.0革命做出贡献，从而服务于国家利益。该项目将创建新的教材，并通过产生新知识为STEM教育研究做出贡献。智能产品正在变得普遍，STEM劳动力需求正在迅速变化。然而，目前的机械工程课程并没有跟上步伐。该项目将通过将计算机科学的技能注入基于物联网技术的新的现代化机电一体化课程，来解决劳动力需求和本科工程专业学生准备之间的差距。该教学模式将结合基于项目的学习和主动学习以及计算机科学的软件工程方法。预期的结果是未来的机械工程劳动力能够设计具有云连接的智能产品，为工业4.0革命做出贡献。创新方面将是机械工程专业的学生使用正式的软件工程技术来开发高质量的代码。该项目将通过产生关于新课程的有效性及其实施面临的挑战的新知识，以及通过创建物联网技能清单、概念清单和物联网项目特有的评分标准等评估工具，为STEM教育研究做出贡献。调查结果、项目的所有产品和评估结果将通过会议、教育期刊、一个新的项目网站、下一代STEM项目网站以及YouTube上的短视频广泛传播。许多大学都开设了机电一体化课程，可以用新课程取代。加上廉价的硬件和免费的开源软件，该项目的产品可以很容易地转移到其他机构，增加了在STEM教育中产生巨大影响的潜力。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习路径，该计划支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by enabling the future mechanical engineering workforce to contribute to the Industry 4.0 revolution through development of a modernized mechatronics course that incorporates Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. This project will create new educational materials and contribute to STEM education research through generation of new knowledge. Smart products are becoming universal and STEM workforce demands are shifting rapidly. However, the current mechanical engineering curriculum has not kept pace. This project will address the gap between workforce demands and the preparation of undergraduate engineering students by infusing skills from computer science into a new modernized mechatronics course grounded in the IoT technologies. The instructional model will incorporate project-based learning and active learning as well as software engineering methods from computer science. The expected outcome is a future mechanical engineering workforce that can design smart products with cloud connectivity to contribute to the Industry 4.0 revolution.An innovative aspect will be the use of a formal software engineering technique by mechanical engineering students to develop high quality code. The project will contribute to STEM education research by generating new knowledge regarding the efficacy of the new curriculum and challenges to its implementation as well as through the creation of assessment tools including IoT skills checklists, concept inventories, and scoring rubrics specific to IoT projects. The findings, all products of the project, and the assessment findings will be broadly disseminated through conferences, educational journals, a new project website, the NextGen STEM project website, and on YouTube with short videos. Many universities have mechatronics courses, which can be replaced by the new course. Coupled with the inexpensive hardware and the free open-source software, the products of the project can easily be transferred to other institutions increasing the potential for high impact in STEM education. The NSF IUSE:EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.