Abstract
Traditionally Computer Aided Design (CAD) courses have been carried out in computer classrooms requiring great amount of teaching personnel. Assessment of students' modeling exercises has been both time consuming and error prone. Utilization of the teaching resources could clearly benefit from online auto-assessment. The auto-assessment tools are widely in use in programming and language courses, but suitable tools for assessing 3D models used in CAD are lacking. This paper presents two new online auto-assessment tools to support the development of both command (“what steps are needed to create this shape?”) and strategic (“how should I model this shape?”) knowledge while learning CAD. The first tool is based on neutral file format (in this case STEP) and can recognize surface differences between student's model and reference model. This tool can assess student's skill to create certain predefined shape (i.e. command knowledge). The second auto-assessment tool utilizes commercial CAD software's API (Application Programming Interface) to test how student's model behaves when modeling parameters are changed. This tool assess student's capabilities to build and design a CAD model's design intent (i.e. strategic knowledge). Developed tools were tested on three mechanical engineering courses. This paper presents both the tools and the feedback received from the students and teachers. Overall, the auto-assessment tools functioned well and feedback from both students and teachers were positive. The most appreciated tool functionality was time and place independent submission and assessment of exercise works. These new tools able focusing teachers' workload from checking the basic exercises to guiding the learning process.
Highlights
CAD (Computer Aided Design) courses have been a central part of mechanical engineering curriculums for decades (Ye et al, 2004)
This paper presents two new online auto-assessment tools to support the development of both command (“what steps are needed to create this shape?”) and strategic (“how should I model this shape?”) knowledge while learning CAD
Geometry assessment tool is targeted for intermediate level CAD teaching, during which students learn how 3D CAD geometry can be created and what tools the software packages include
Summary
CAD (Computer Aided Design) courses have been a central part of mechanical engineering curriculums for decades (Ye et al, 2004). Traditional ways of doing courses and assessing student's learning in CAD courses are (García et al, 2005): practical exercises (mostly weekly), final examination (by modeling a predefined task within time limits) and project work (bigger modeling task individually or in groups). The number of students in CAD courses can be quite high. In our university the intermediate level CAD course have more than 300 students annually. To manage this student amount, automatization of some parts of the CAD education would be beneficial. Auto-assessment of one common exercise type – modeling a predefined geometry – can save teachers' time significantly and allow them to concentrate on helping students in their learning process
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