The Web-Based Learning
Environment for
Creative Design Course
S. S. Hsiau, J. C. Wu, T. L. Yeh and S. J. Tsai
Department of Mechanical Engineering
National Central University
Chung-Li, Taiwan 32054, R.O.C.
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Technological Creativity
 The
importance of the technological
creativity.
 Creativity cognition can be trained and
learned.
 An interdisciplinary research team in NCU
developed to cultivate the technological
creativity in engineering students:
- A set of learning modules.
- A web-based learning environment.
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Objectives
 Introducing
creativity skills.
 Encourage students to think in depth and bring
in the connotation of technological innovation.
 Develop students' self-confidence in
implementing their creative ideas.
 Through the functions of computer and
network, establish a collection of
integrative courseware to empower the
students with creative design capabilities.
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Structure
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Creative Activity Bulletin Board
 The
main interface for all creative activities.
 Discussing creative design project ideas
among students and teachers in multimedia
fashion on Web-BBS.
 Announcing hot messages and team project
status on the big board to inspire intra-team
supports and a sense of accomplishments.
 Two-way FTP function for communicating
ideas via the computer network.
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Managers
Titles
Hot message
announcement
Project status
• Help wanted
• Resource acquiring
• Demo to come
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Creativity Supporting Tools
 MindManager
as a PC-Web software in
Chinese.
 Sorting and categorization of creative ideas.
 Orientation of creative brain storming.
 Supporting tools for creative problem
solving process.
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MindManager
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Engineering Courseware of
Domain Knowledge
 The
creative activity cannot be successful
without domain knowledge at its foundation.
 Working on their design projects, students
need to integrate their previously learned
knowledge while acquiring the new.
 Knowledge delivery just-in-time through
full text web search.
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Integrated Courses
 The
Machine Design Courses
 The Electric Circuits and Electronics with
Laboratory
 The Innovative Application of Engineering
Software
 The Creative Mechanical Design
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The Machine Design Courses
 An
integrative course on the basic
knowledge of machine parts, mechanism,
design process, engineering analysis and
engineering synthesis.
 Lecture notes, reference materials and
quizzes provided on the web.
 Data-base of the utilities of physical effects,
design tools and design examples provided
on the web.
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The Electric Circuits and
Electronics with Laboratory
 Establish
mechatronic design and
implementation capability in ME students.
 Fundamental, integrative and application
oriented.
 Contain pop quizzes, which require trials,
on-site observations, comparisons and selfexaminations.
 Action research on teaching performance
and learning difficulties.
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The Innovative Application of
Engineering Software
 Integrate
fundamental engineering software
into the project design.
 Apply CPS process in the class: target →
search → check → action, enhancing the
creative thinking and problem-solving skills
early in the freshman year.
 Construct a multimedia learning
environment to enhance the teaching and
learning effectiveness.
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The Creative Mechanical Design
- 1 : Purposes
 Inspiring creativity.
 Provide
students with an industrial working
environment.
- cooperative learning.
 Training students to solve open-ended
industrial problems.
- project-based learning.
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The Creative Mechanical Design
- 2 : 1st semester - A
 The
introduction and incubation of creativity.
 The process of creative-problem-solving
(CPS).
 The creativity techniques.
 The engineering design process.
 The methodology in engineering invention.
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The Creative Mechanical
Design - 3 : 1st semester - B
The creativity contests:



Parachute contest
Conquering the water (ship design)
Vehicle with rubber bands as power.
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The Creative Mechanical
Design - 4 : Design Project
 Topic
selection.
 Necessity assessment.
 Information gathering.
 Proposal generation.
 Product drafting, design, and layout.
 Product pilot-testing.
 Product fine-tuning.
 Report and presentation.
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The Creative Mechanical
Design - 5 : WWW
 Establish
excellent on-line cooperative
learning environment, to encourage students
to discuss their ideas creatively.
 Complete multimedia lecture notes with
discussions and exercises in and after class.
 The procedures of the creative project design.
 The video records and reports of students’
creativity contests.
 The video records and reports of students’
final design projects.
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Search Engine
 Students may
encounter many difficulties
throughout their design projects
- lack of initial stimulation
- lack of know-how knowledge
 Stimulating ideas and domain knowledge
exist in the on-line courseware and in the
discussion contents in the creativity activity
board.
 Students can retrieve relevant information
easily using appropriate key words.
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Future Works
 Further
development of creative supporting
tools.
 The web activity recording and analysis
facilities to evaluate individual student's
creative problem solving process.
 The implementation of network classroom.
 Further expansion of courseware contents
on domain knowledge.
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Let’s Show!
http://lisant.src.ncu.edu.tw/cedesign/
migrating to a linux based version
http://creative.me.ncu.edu.tw/
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