Assessing An Interdisciplinary Robotics Course

Abstract

The curriculum in any specific area of study tends to narrowly focus students on that area, whereas real-world complex systems tend to integrate components from multiple disciplines. The development of such systems has shifted from designing individual components in isolation to working in cross-functional teams that encompass the variety of expertise needed to design an entire system. This means that students must learn the team building and communication skills to work with others outside of their own discipline. The Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) recognizes the importance of these abilities in its Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs: "Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams". The study of robotics provides an excellent instrument for teaching and learning about working in multidisciplinary teams.