Transformation of a Mechanical Engineering Capstone Experience

This contribution is an innovative practice work in progress paper. The capstone experience in mechanical engineering at the University of Maine consists of a senior year, 2 semester 7ch sequence, where student teams design, build and test a mechanical device. It not only constitutes the culmination of the plan of study, but also represents a signature component of the curriculum and student experience in the department due to its intensive nature that includes the construction and testing of the project. In the past, and due to stagnant teaching capacity coupled with high student growth in the major, the aim had been to streamline the implementation by increasingly standardizing the experience and assessment around a common land-drone theme. However, a recent change and expansion of the instructor team to two faculty members, combined with the necessity to improve the assessment of the ABET outcomes linked to the course, motivated the transformation of the sequence presented here. This transformation has included the development of a robust and transparent assessment system that incorporates both formative and summative feedback modes including continuous peer evaluation, as well as an active outward-opening of the projects to research entities on and off-campus as well as industry. Initial results indicate an almost three-fold increase in externally sponsored projects, as well as the successful assessment of the learning outcomes as evidenced by ABET and anonymous student surveys that support the perception of the system being capable of fair and transparent allocation of individual grades in a team environment.