Team-oriented, project-based instruction in a new mechatronics course

The design of a new course in mechatronics is described, which will serve as the focal point of a wider curriculum development effort to integrate the teaching of mechatronic principles throughout the relevant engineering curricula at the University of Detroit Mercy, USA. The course has a balanced combination of theory and application and seeks to impart competencies that are in great demand in the automotive industry, as well as in other engineering sectors. One of the prominent and innovative features of the course is that it is structured around instructional activities that are predominantly team-oriented and project-based.