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With Lego-like, plastic cubes and rectangular prisms, engineering Lecturer John Romo developed a different method to help students learn about modular and future concepts while raising class participation and expanding the critical-thinking skills engineers and architects need.
In a sense, Romo is working backward with his activity; instead of using blueprints and having students build a module, Romo divided his class into groups, provided Lego-like models and had them analyze and propose modifications that each group thought their module needed.
If they came to an agreement on specifications, they would implement those decisions and give the module a new scale, which helps in creating the upgraded model.
Romo said the mission is to give the students the opportunity and ability to use their creativity and imaginations. The students could see what specifications were needed, where other materials like screws, welding or items such as springs would be if needed.
It is all up to the student group's discretion.
Romo said modular media is something that retains the same dimensions while sustaining pressure such as bricks, buildings and doors.
In this experiment, the Lego-like blocks acted as a skeleton onto which students added for the project.
"When students begin the first step, they want refinement, they want specification," Romo said. "They look at the types of metal, perforations, etc., whatever facilitates the actual item."
Romo said this exercise will help the students learn computer-assisted design, called CAD, a requirement in engineering and architecture.
Romo said CAD is a program that contains a mélange of "certain lines, arches, circles and blocks that you drag and drop to draw a blueprint type of student's work, and with a knowledge of CAD, a student can go to any company."
He also said students should accept unorthodox approaches to learning CAD.
This project, as Romo explained, is useful if a student has an idea in mind. It will sometimes be easier to create that object with the modular pieces, define the density, dimensions and volume before taking it to CAD and bringing it to life.
Engineering sophomore Andrea Guerrero agrees that the project was an aid in learning more about engineering. Guerrero, who has mechanical and industrial engineers in her family, spoke with those family members about the project.
She said they called it a good idea, and because everything is done on computer, they reminded her it is very helpful to know how to draw by hand. "I found (the project) was very interesting," Guerrero said.
She also said the project helps in different ways because, for one, an engineer never knows what their client will want in the real world. They may ask for something the engineer is not familiar with.
For more information on engineering classes, call 733-2836, visit Room 238 of Chance Academic Center or log onto www.accd.edu/sac/engr.
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