Home : Volume 31 : Winter 2005 :
Teaching frreshmen to design

First-year engineering students weld the undercarriage of a motorized agricultural supply cart, which staff in the agricultural research department will use to haul plants and tools behind a recumbent bicycle. (Larger image.)

Course gives students a glimpse into their futures

It's possible to put together a jigsaw puzzle without knowing what it will look like, but it's easier if you can see the whole picture first. That's sort of the idea behind the College of Engineering's freshman design course, Introduction to Engineering.

The course provides freshmen with an overview of engineering based on a "hands-on" experience with a client-centered, team-based engineering design project. The course also includes a survey of engineering disciplines and an introduction to computer tools and lab techniques. "We want to give them a real taste of engineering first," says Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Patrick V. Farrell. "We want them to realize what skills are valuable to being an engineer."

Students are designing and building solutions to a range of problems, including building an aqueduct for a water garden, improving disability access to State Street businesses and developing a zip code recording system.

Justin Shepard is a fifth-year computer engineering major who took the course as a freshman and now assists in teaching the class. "I really enjoyed the experience as a freshman," he says. "I think that the best part of coming back and teaching this course is that you finally have the engineering tools at your disposal to help these young kids get their project completed."

Content by perspective@engr.wisc.edu

Date last modified: Tuesday, 26-Apr-2005 17:06:42 CDT
Date created: 26-Apr-2005

Thank you for visiting!