Design Collaboration Between High School, On-Campus, and Distance Engineering Students

A collaborative design project has been implemented in a junior-level materials selection and manufacturing course. The team-based design problem involved the design of playground equipment for elementary school children. Focus groups of elementary students and a review of applicable construction standards were used to set design requirements. Each team comprised undergraduate on-campus students, undergraduate distance education students and junior/senior high school technology students. Initial design choices were made by the entire group. Subsequent calculations of stress, deformations, etc. to refine the design as well as choices of materials and manufacturing processes were primarily the purview of the undergraduate students. Drafting and integration of the design segments into a complete computer model was the responsibility of the high school students. Continuous communication between the groups was required for the process to be successful. This collaboration was facilitated via online forums and site visits. An overview of the project structure is presented along with a summary of the project outcomes and recommendations for improving the process.