This project will involve the design, development, and implementation of an introductory course on manufacturing systems for non-engineering students. Innovative teaching and learning styles suitable for teaching manufacturing concepts will be identified and incorporated in the course to motivate students to learn, understand, and appreciate the role of manufacturing in today's society, its impact on the economy, and its career potential. This course will build on the background and skills of first- and second-year university students, to give them a better understanding of the value of basic courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, in learning engineering concepts. It will also introduce non-engineering students, especially women and underrepresented minorities, to manufacturing in a non-intimidating manner. It is hoped that such an exposure will strengthen their confidence, dispel their fear of technology, and motivate them to choose an engineering career. A preliminary study conducted through a pilot section of the course offered during spring 1994 to assess the need for this course and its potential benefits has resulted in positive outcomes and has given the impetus for developing this course fully. The project methodology will involve the identification of manufacturing life cycle concepts suitable for this course and its target audience, and the design and development of course activities, lesson plans, laboratory experiments, and instructional aids that will accommodate different teaching and learning styles so that the course material can be conveyed effectively to a non-engineering student population. The progress of the project and its outcomes will be evaluated by a team consisting of members from academia and the manufacturing industry. Course material that will be developed for this project, the teaching and learning techniques that will be used in conveying the material to students, and the results of this study will be of great potential bene fit to educators everywhere interested in offering similar courses to non-engineering students.
