A CHALLENGE BASED TEACHING MODEL FOR APPLIED MECHANICS COURSES WITH FLIPPED LEARNING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ELEMENTS Academic Article in Scopus uri icon

abstract

  • In this paper we present a challenge based teaching model for Applied Mechanics courses, particularly a Solid Mechanics Course, within the framework of our education model, namely (blinded for review). The model also includes the use of some Artificial Intelligence tools during the course in some activities. The selected course for this paper is considered a difficult one by our students and sometimes the professors and students find it complex and some principles and concepts are difficult for students to associate with a real life application. The contents of the course include a review of Equilibrium, Stress definitions, Structural Analysis of statically determinate beams and two-dimensional trusses. The main component of the model is the solution of a challenge for which, students work in teams. The challenge presented to students at the beginning of an intense five week period consists on the design of the truss structure for the roof of an industrial warehouse. The teams of students have to present a solution applying the concepts seen in the course as well as some basic building code requirements. The course is taught by two professors and the participation of people from a chosen industry partner, that for the case of this course, it is a professional and chartered structural engineering firm. For the solution of the challenge, the participation of professional engineers from the industry partner was crucial, as they provided advice and recommendations to students in several meetings throughout the five week period. The results included in this paper are from two different implementations of the model in one campus of our university system. During each week the teams have some sessions where they work on the solution of the challenge. The use of professional software for structural analysis is also taught to students during those sessions where some elements of Artificial Intelligence tools are allowed. Students' motivation was high, as expected during the five week period and with the participation of the industry partner at different stages of their solution, students got a sense of what is like to work in real life projects in their region. Some results on students' perceptions are included as well as those of students' satisfaction and the type of activities that they enjoyed the most are also presented. This work can be used to design new courses related to Applied Mechanics including the challenge-based model with elements of Flipped-learning and AI tools. © 2024 by ASME.

publication date

  • January 1, 2024