The project is implementing a novel approach to integrate coursework in four semesters of the core mechanical engineering curriculum using a long-term design project requiring tools from several courses and focusing on the drive train for a hybrid vehicle. The investigators hypothesize that this extended activity will substantially enhance student learning, particularly with regard to knowledge retention across courses and student problem solving and design skills. In the evaluation effort, both knowledge retention and design skills will be measured and compared with the group of students taking the courses in the year before the intervention. Dissemination activities include posting material with an interactive lessons learned component, faculty workshops at national meetings, conference presentations, and journal publications. Owing to the modular nature of this work, the approach can be easily adapted to other institutions, whether they be small predominantly undergraduate institutions or large research universities. Broader impacts include the wide dissemination efforts and the emphasis in the curriculum on the new hybrid technology that will meet industry's need for graduates with these skills.
