Integrating Service-Learning Into "Introduction to Mechanical Engineering"

Service-learning is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum of a freshman "Introduction to Mechanical Engineering" course by providing the context of teaching and learning design. The emphasis is on experiential learning, and service is a by-product of the learning experience. At the University of South Alabama, service-learning is implemented by a partnership between the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering program of the Mobile County Public School System and the Mechanical Engineering Department. First-year mechanical engineering students are formed into design teams, and each team is paired with two middle-school teachers serving as customers for the design projects. The teams design, produce, and test an instructional module and manipulate(s) that promote a thematic approach to mathematics and science instruction and hands-on learning in middle-school classrooms. Course content and implementation plan are described in the paper, and results of student and teacher assessment are presented.