GIFTS: Crushing Cardboard: A Technical Design Challenge for First-Year Students

Introduction:This GIFTS paper describes the first iteration of a first-year engineering design challenge which applies mechanics principles, the design process, experimentation, introductory programming, and consideration of failure and factor of safety into a simple hands-on project with minimal pre-requisite knowledge.The objectives of the project are for students to apply technical understanding to a hands-on problem, collect and evaluate experimental data, and practice the design process including evaluation of design performance and safety.Implementation: This project occurred in a first-year engineering course over the course of 3 weeks.The table below provides a breakdown of lectures, activities, and assessments.