A World of Learning

Closing Plenary: Alan Blizzard Award

Congratulations to the 2008 Alan Blizzard Award recipients: the 14 members of the Mech 2 team selected for ‘a collaboratively designed and delivered program.’ Begun in 2004 as a project in the Faculty of Applied Science, Mech 2 involves faculty in five departments and two faculties at the University of British Columbia.

Mech 2 is a complete, integrated, second year mechanical engineering undergraduate program that aims to develop the analytical, practical, and design skills of students. Mech 2 is a radical departure from a conventional curriculum as it completely incorporates previous content from 15 disparate courses into four main courses taken in series. These four courses, one at a time, include thoughtfully integrated lectures, tutorials, labs, design projects, presentations, field trips and other activities. Integration, coordination and collaboration take place within courses as well as across the entire program.

Through the program, students also work closely with six technicians and a team of over 50 teaching assistants. Mech 2 is structured to ensure good communication within this team, and between the teaching team and the students. Student performance in senior year courses has greatly improved following the introduction of Mech 2, and in program surveys, students have indicated a strong preference for the Mech 2 format over a conventional approach. Nearly 500 students have experienced Mech 2.

Saturday, June 21
Closing Plenary,11:00 AM
Essex Hall Theatre

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Closing Plenary: Alan Blizzard Award