Course Modules Designed for Creativity Training in Materials Engineering Education

Abstract

Abstract A lot of attention is being given to creativity in the Engineering education by emerging the design courses. The objectives of design courses for engineering is to teach students to learn the aesthetics, empathy and critical thinking with creativity. These design courses have been widely implemented into the curriculum of the Engineering in the mechanical and electrical field. However, it is still unclear for the materials engineering education to promote creativity outcomes through design course. In this study, we introduced the design-based courses modules into the original course curriculum to promote the creativity of students in the field of materials engineering. Two course modules, “Experiential Manufacturing and Material Aesthetics” and “User-Centered Design-Problem Definition”, were adapted for the students of Materials Engineering by adapted to relevant course such as Project Laboratory, which is designed to help students to process and complete the device or materials system. During the implementation of the projects, students, design assistants and teachers are inspired and interested academically and practically. In addition, course modules were conducted in a manufacturing-based Makerspace to comply with the principle of “learning by doing” with design and process techniques training courses as “make design training”. Assessments of the course were evaluated during the mid-semester and at the end of the semester. Final report of the program for a device or materials system should be held by the student by the end of the course. Students also need to show their achievements by the presentation in a workshop. It was found that students became more confident to face and deal with the laboratory problems after with the design-based course training. It is widely accepted for students’ comment that introduction of the design-based courses make the course more lively and interesting. These course modules make them to think about the origin properties of materials and creativity in applications.