Project-Based Teaching Skills for University Course of Mechanism and Machine Science

The Mechanism and Machine Science (MMS) course is a fundamental engineering course to enable undergraduates to understand the analysis, design and operation principle of modern machines evolving rapidly nowadays. Modern machines are mechatronic instead of purely mechanical. However, the current course teaching basically focuses on the knowledge of the mechanisms merely instead of the whole machines. A gap exists between the knowledge of the mechanisms and that of real machines for the students that calls a change of the course teaching. To overcome the problems, a Project-based Teaching (PBT) way is investigated with Marathon and Twin-timeline models and Mini research-based training skill for the MMS course aiming to assist students to have both a full image of modern machines and deep understanding of mechanisms.