In 2002, Wayne State University (WSU) was awarded an NSF grant to develop an adaptation of the Learning Factory model that would be less costly to implement. That project focused on introducing the use of coordinated hands-on projects in standard laboratory settings across selected courses, using a model engine application as the unifying theme. This approach proved to be a more cost-effective way to give students hands-on experience in a range of issues involved in product realization. The goal of this CCLI phase II project is to distill a core of course-level learning outcomes from WSU's previous work and develop an approach for mapping these to higher program-level outcomes that help to meet industry-defined competency gaps of students. This project takes the successful approach of using coordinated hands-on activities across multiple courses to provide students with specific competencies, and test its efficacy by implementing it simultaneously in five diverse departments at four different institutions. Students will learn by trying things out, and working with others in a holistic, systematic way.
