Assessing Student Comprehension and Implementation of Design Thinking in Mechanical Engineering Education

This paper investigates how the integration of fundamental principles of mechanical engineering within students' learning in the context of drawing, manufacturing process, and fabrication methods influences the understanding and practical application of design thinking principles among first-year students. The program interlinks theoretical education with work in laboratories on issues dealing with orthographic and isometric projections, metal forming, casting, machining, and welding. The students' improvement is evaluated by Pre-Intervention, Mid-Intervention, and Post-Intervention Surveys. These surveys also monitored shifts in student knowledge, technical skills, and design thinking. The results have indicated a significant gain over the course of the intervention in the student's ability to navigate the idea-to-product continuum, in the students' skill with AutoCAD, and in the competencies associated with manufacturing and fabrication processes. Such research exemplifies how a structured curriculum effectively incorporates theoretical teaching with hands-on experience for improved engineering education to equip students better for the challenges faced in the industry.