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Virtual reality and learning by design: tools for integrating mechanical engineering concepts

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State University has begun to re-design its introductory mechanical engineering courses. The objectives of these newly designed courses are to incorporate the learner as designer strategy and to positively impact students' conceptual understanding of mechanical engineering concepts. To achieve these objectives, the courses are designed to use virtual reality as a tool that integrates the fundamental concepts of design, analysis and manufacturing. The first implementation of one of these courses afforded an opportunity to study a particular type of learner as designer strategy, the learner as instructional designer strategy. This paper describes the course and the impact of the learner as instructional designer strategy on students' conceptual understanding of and attitude towards mechanical engineering concepts.