ENGR 110
Community-Based Engineering Design
This course combines engineering design with service learning to provide students with practical engineering experience while working on a project that solves a real problem in the community. Teams of engineering students interface directly with clients within the community partner organization. Work on projects spans all phases of the engineering design process and some projects may extend into several quarters or years. Teams are designed to be vertically integrated including team members at various levels, and prior experience in the course will enable students to assume leadership roles.
Problem-Based Learning
Problem (or Project) Based Learning (PBL) has been described as ‘reflecting the way people learn in real life’ and lends itself as a teaching strategy that leads students to ‘learn to learn’ and encourages students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills that they can carry for life. The goals of PBL include fostering active learning, interpersonal and collaborative skills, open inquiry, real-life problem solving, critical thinking, intrinsic motivation, and the desire to learn for a lifetime. Hence, PBL allows students to move beyond the mental understanding of information and learn to apply concepts to real-life formats. In addition, since the knowledge is also grounded in context, which requires the use of problem-solving skills, educators purport that the conceptualization of knowledge better prepares students for future careers.
At its most fundamental level, Problem Based Learning is characterized by the use of real world problems as a context for students to learn critical thinking skills and problem solving skills and to acquire knowledge of the essential concepts of the course. ~G. Wilson from “Integrating Problem-based Learning and Technology in Education.” In Enhancing Thinking through Problem-based Learning Approaches, edited by O.S. Tan. Singapore: Thompson, 2004.
Thus, PBL is the preferred format for this Community-Based Engineering Design (CBED) course. CBED is a 10-week project-based course, where student teams are partnered with a local community business or organization and complete a design project from problem identification through final prototype. The purpose of the course focuses on “hands-on” experience in project management, building cross-disciplinary team skills, communication, and prototyping. CBED also fulfills Santa Clara University’s Civic Engagement core requirement. As a Civic Engagement course, the primary learning objectives include “critically evaluating the role of public organizations” and tasks students to “analyze and evaluate civic issues by engaging in active and collaborative learning.” Thus, social justice is a theme throughout the course and it is embedded in many course activities.
Course timeline (presented on the Camino homepage) to guide students through course activities week-by-week. Icons are linked to Camino pages listing assignments due prior to class, activities done as part of class, and homework or other assignments due by the next class.
Community Partners
CBED student learning objectives are fulfilled when students are more aware of their target community and its particular wants and needs, are able to develop a design which meets those needs, are successful in communicating their designs, and are able to satisfy the community partner with their project results. Thus, community partnerships are essential to the success of our student teams and to a positive impact in the community.
We've worked with a variety of community partners throughout the years including some within our campus community (e.g. the Center for Sustainability, the Forge Garden, Bronco Urban Gardens), in our immediate community (e.g. California Native Gardens Foundation, Guadalupe River Parkway, Bryan Osborne Nature Center), and in the Bay Area (e.g. Sager Family Farms, Pediatric Wellness Center, Halo Dog Training).
Forge Garden - part of the SCU Center for Sustainability
Sager Family Farms
California Native Gardens Foundation
I recently published a journal article as part of the American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE) which highlights a collaboration with Bronco Urban Gardens (BUG) and CBED. See the slide show from the presentation given at the 2019 ASEE Annual Conference below!
For more information about our projects, our partners, or interest in becoming or recommending a partner, use the contact form!
Project Documentation
Project documentation for this course is recorded through use of an electronic portfolio. Students individually record information regarding their biography, team membership, community partner, and project information. The project information requested includes a weekly reflective log entry of their individual efforts towards the project, along with team documentation such as team contracts, Gantt chart project timelines, and team assignments including reflections and a final project report and presentation. Format for the electronic portfolio is largely open-ended as students are allowed to use any web platform they wish, and many opt for free website platforms such as Wix, Weebly, and Wordpress.
At the end of the course, student teams are required to submit a 1-slide summary of their project. The slide should give the title of the project, team members names, the purpose and partner for their project and a showcase of the results. Slides from the past several academic years are below.
Anonymous student comments from end of course surveys
It is always rewarding when students value their time in your class. Here are a few comments that were anonymously left at the end of the last academic year (spring quarter 2019) regarding this course.
Overall this course provided a great experience and opportunity to work and engage with real clients as well as learn new skills to solve problems provided by them.
Overall, this was a fun course, and I enjoyed going through the engineering process of being faced with a challenge, brainstorming solutions, making decisions, and finishing a project. Dr. K did a good job of keeping the groups on track, giving helpful project suggestions, and being willing to help outside of classtime.
All in all, I enjoyed this course - I got to work with a good team, learned some new skills, and had fun doing something different from my other classes.
Example Course Materials
If you are looking for more details including learning outcomes, grading policies, etc. or more information about how the course is structured (timeline). See resources below!