Mechanisms for Implementing Service Learning:Analysis of Efforts in a Senior Product Design Class in Mechanical Engineering

摘要

Interest in applying and studying service learning in engineering courses is increasing due toboth the experiential learning and values-based approach it offers. Integration of servicelearning into a required senior-level mechanical engineering product design class was undertakenand the cognitive and social effects of the pedagogy were studied through use of a pre-postsurvey tool. In this paper, we focus on the results of three main questions for study: 1) whetherstudents’ perceptions of their ability in various engineering skills changed over the course of theclass, 2) whether students’ perceptions of career goals changed over time, and 3) whetherstudents’ interest in community service changed over the course of the class. Results indicatethat students perceived learning gains in key product design areas such as ability to design newproducts, creativity, and problem solving, and some differential effects were found for women.Students, particularly minorities, also increased their orientation toward a service approach,changing their professional aspirations away from consulting and medicine to more innovativeproduct development work and graduate research while increasing their overall interest incommunity service and their beliefs about engineers’ social responsibility.