Often it is difficult for freshman engineering students to conceptualize the professional roles of mechanical engineers and learn fundamental concepts vital to mastery of the mechanical engineering curriculum. This project creates and assesses freely-available, agent-monitored internet chat-based course materials for integrating computer-aided design, modeling, and manufacturing skills within a freshman mechanical engineering undergraduate course. These tutorials allow students to navigate complicated software interfaces, conceptualize what mechanical engineers do, and learn fundamental concepts through dynamic dialogues between tutorial agents and student groups. Additional chat-based tutorials will be developed as a unique, efficient outreach tool, allowing middle school students to become excited about engineering and other technical professions. These project tasks are structured to be the basis for long-term transformational changes in how we teach engineering.
