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