First-year student engineers experience authentic practice with industry engagement

BACKGROUND OR CONTEXTMore than 1000 students enrol in first-year engineering at The University of Queensland every year. They are required to enrol in a course titled “Engineering Design” in the first semester of their studies. They sign on to one of the mechatronics, chemical, civil and mining engineering projects. Each year, approximately 20 percent of these students elect the mining project. They experience a 13-week journey of individual and group work to undertake research, design, construction and operation of a scale-model of a mining machine. Since 2012, a new mining project has been prepared and introduced to the students every year. The 2015 project exposed students to the full design, manufacturing and operational processes of a Load, Haul and Dump (LHD) machine used in underground mines. Students were provided with opportunities to think creatively and test new and ingenious ideas within an interactive hands-on learning environment. They received strong support and engagement from industry partners throughout their project work. The final demonstration and operation of each team’s unique machine impressed a panel of judges consisting of senior engineers and project managers. This paper presents the innovative strategies used in this project that enhanced student curiosity and engaged them in an interactive and industry-related learning environment.PURPOSE OR GOALThe project aims to use an industry based problem to provide student engineers with exposure to concepts and issues in engineering in order to achieve the required learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are: to gain an insight to engineering design, to provide an introduction to the engineering systems approach, introduce working effectively in teams,and experience in time a project management.APPROACHAchieving the project aims was completed by aligning assessment items with learning objectives, utilizing the three fundamental forms of learning. Individualistic learning is used during the first three weeks of semester while student undertake research into the field. After this, students were organized into teams to start working as a cooperative unit. They worked in these teams to complete the design, construction and operation of the LHD. The competitive form of learning was utilized throughout the semester, but is highlighted in the last week when students compete against each other to achieve the highest productivity, in order to receive the highest marks possible. Continuous monitoring and feedback is provided in various forms, both formally in class sessions, and through other mediums such as Facebook. Throughout the semester, industry professionals are invited to run workshops and seminars on various topics related to the project. These same guests are invited back to the demonstration day in the last week of semester to judge the competition, and provide prizes for several of the top teams, as well as sponsoring a barbeque lunch for all involved.DISCUSSIONThrough the targeting the project aims and using each of the learning styles effectively, students have become more engaged than previous years, and have ranked the project above the other available choices within the subject. Further to the project outcomes, the  learning outcomes of the project can be extended into other academic endeavours, andfurther into each students’ professional career.RECOMMENDATIONS/IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONIt is evident through the use of the approaches outlined that student engineers perform at a higher level when each of the learning forms is used effectively, and there is exposure to the industry in which they are working. The use of social media provides a platform of which most students are familiar, making it an effective tool to further the communication and learning experience as a whole.