PROMOTING TECHNICAL INNOVATION IN THE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD INDUSTRY THROUGH COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN INSTRUCTION

The overall goal of this project is to develop flexible, modular, computer-aided graphical design (CAD) educational materials focused on innovations in the food and agricultural industries. These materials will provide students a learning pathway for development of fundamental technical design and 3D modeling skills, along with a critical understanding of technical innovations in the food and agriculture industry with relevance to 3D graphical design.Research-based blended learning practiceswill be utilized to appeal to range of learning modalities through development of videos, text-based materials, modeling activities, and access to 3D-printed physical manipulatives. Active learning methodswill be integrated in the educational materials. The specific objectives of this project are are:Develop videos highlighting technical innovations in food and agriculture that utilize 3D graphical design skills. The primary goal is to broaden awareness of cutting-edge technological innovations and to see how these innovations are linked to 3D graphical design.Develop instructional skill-based videos to teach fundamentals of technical computer-aided graphical design (CAD) with applications in food and agriculture. The videos will feature demonstrations of 3D modeling using a free, cloud-based CAD program (OnShape). Direct connections will be made between CAD skills and applications to industry innovations.Develop a Companion Tutorial to support student learning of technology innovations, spatial visualization, graphical design, and CAD skills. The Companion Tutorial is in lieu of a textbook, and will include information on innovations and careers in the food and agricultural industries along with support material for content covered in the skill-based videos, including follow-up spatial visualization activities and open-ended design projects.Conduct evaluation of student learning outcomes following implementation in an introductory biological systems engineering course. After implementation of enhanced educational materials in an introductory biological systems engineering course at UC Davis, gains in student spatial visualization skills will be evaluated using a vetted instrument. Student interest surveys will be used to evaluate changes in interest in food and agriculture.