Learning Collaborative Design in an International Setting: Learning Collaborative Design in an International Setting
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| Audience/Grade: | College Junior-College Senior |
| Discipline(s): |
Design Entrepreneurship and Innovation General Engineering, Engineering Science Industrial Engineering International Engineering Education Manufacturing Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
| Special Topic(s): | |
| Learning Resource Type: |
Reference - Educational Research Paper |
| Media Type: |
Audio |
| Author(s): |
Larry Schuman MATTHEW MEHALIK, MICHAEL LOVELL, |
| Description: | Int. J. Engng Ed. Vol. 24, No. 2, 2008, pp. pp. 357±366. Special issue on Design and Engineering Education in a Flat World. Abstract: "This paper discusses lessons learned from an innovative courseÐProduct Realization for Global OpportunitiesÐfirst offered in Spring 2007 at the University of Pittsburgh. Its purpose was to further infuse both sustainability and product realization into the undergraduate engineering curriculum. We have done this by creating a unique product realization course in which E-teams of students from University of Pittsburgh and the University at Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil attempt to develop products for sustainable human development. In particular, the course addresses the product realization process in the context of sustainability for the developing world. In doing this, we have taken advantage of the School of Engineering's rapidly expanding interest in sustainability led by the Mascaro Sustainability Initiative (MSI), a growing relationship with UNICAMP, and close involvement from the University's International Business Center and the Center for Latin American Studies (both Department of Education Title VI National Resource Centers). Further, students use our Swanson Institute for Product Innovation to develop prototypes. Course development was supported by a programme grant from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA). This paper presents findings from surveys conducted at the end of the course including an entrepreneurship questionnaire developed by the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA). The course produced significant increases in students' self-perceptions of skills needed to become an entrepreneur and in financial dimensions of entrepreneurship as well as idea generation, product pricing, and intellectual property concerns." |
| Rating: |
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| Related Resources | |
| Keywords: | NCIIA flat world Product realization; international programmes; design for human development; sustainable design; global issues in engineering |
| Is Component of: |
Design and Engineering Education in a Flat World |
| Usage Tip | |
| Related ABET Criteria: |
(c) Design a system, component, or process |
| Use of Resource: |
Conclusions: "Overall, students did successfully create innovative, appropriate prototype products and business plans for Brazilian markets in an internationally collaborative design setting. Students were able to work from vague initial design concepts, conduct market research in order to generate preliminary design requirements and alternative design concepts. The students successfully interacted with UNICAMP students and faculty in face-toface and virtual environments in order to refine conceptions of needs and market potential, Learning collaborative design in international setting 363 product design ideas, and to check the cultural appropriateness of the design ideas. They were able to advance their ideas into working prototype form, estimate the cost of manufacturing them, and then provide realistic plans for turning the products into a business. All five teams were able to complete this task. It should be noted that this is not always the case for the U.S.-only version of the Pitt product realization course. By these measures, this course has met many of the goals for its first offering. In addition, students were able to have an enjoyable and informative cultural experience during the week-long visit to Brazil over Pitt's spring break. The survey results provide insight into several aspects of the design of the in-country portion of the course. Overall, students learned several aspects of sustainable design as part of the site visits and interaction with students and faculty. However, students expressed wanting to increase the amount of time for interacting with students from Brazil. Because of the airline delays, students missed almost 50 percent of the face-to-face time that was scheduled for the Brazilian students and faculty to interact, plan, and share design ideas. Students were able to interact during many of the bus trips, site visits, and informal gatherings; however, these interactions provided less intense and with less focus on project design." |
| Difficulty: |
Medium |
| Interactivity Level: |
Very low |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | March 2008 |
| Platform/Format: |
Cross Platform |
| Cost: |
Not free |
| Download URL: | http://www.ijee.dit.ie/latestissues/Vol24-2/s18_ijee2030.pdf |
| Metadata: |
IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
International Journal of Engineering Education
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