Engineering and the Design Process

This course is a hands-on exploration of the application of engineering principles to practical design problems in multiple domains. Students will be challenged to develop creative solutions to simple engineering problems. We will introduce the various specialties of engineering, explore the scope of careers in engineering, and the process of design thinking in individual and collaborative environments. Students will learn to build and code simple Arduino devices. The course culminates with a comprehensive design project. Note: This course includes a lab component and requires the purchase of additional materials.

Completion of this course requires regular access to a laptop or desktop computer with working microphone and webcam, as well as a reliable internet connection.

This Fixed-Paced course incorporates a blend of synchronous and asynchronous elements. Students and teacher meet live via zoom on a regular weekly schedule. In addition, students complete coursework including guided readings, interactive videos, text and video-based discussion threads, problem sets, individual and collaborative projects, and so on. While these activities are time-flexible, teachers sequence them with weekly deadlines to help students keep on track and encourage and support the development of productive time management skills.