Auto-assessment tools for mechanical computer aided design education

Area of Science:

• Engineering Education
• Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Traditional Computer Aided Design (CAD) courses require significant teaching resources for manual assessment of student modeling exercises, which is time-consuming and prone to errors.
• Existing online auto-assessment tools are prevalent in programming and language courses, but a gap exists for suitable tools to evaluate 3D models in CAD education.
• Improving the utilization of teaching resources and the efficiency of student assessment is crucial for effective CAD instruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate two novel online auto-assessment tools designed to enhance the learning of both command and strategic knowledge in Computer Aided Design (CAD).
• To address the lack of automated assessment tools for 3D models in CAD courses.
• To support the development of students' ability to create specific shapes and understand design intent in CAD.

Main Methods:

• Development of two distinct auto-assessment tools for CAD modeling exercises.
• The first tool utilizes a neutral file format (STEP) to compare surface differences between student and reference models, assessing command knowledge.
• The second tool employs a commercial CAD software's Application Programming Interface (API) to evaluate model behavior under parameter changes, assessing strategic knowledge and design intent.

Main Results:

• The developed auto-assessment tools were successfully implemented and tested across three mechanical engineering courses.
• Both students and teachers provided positive feedback on the functionality and utility of the auto-assessment tools.
• A key appreciated feature was the flexibility of time and place independent submission and assessment of CAD exercises.

Conclusions:

• The online auto-assessment tools demonstrated effectiveness in evaluating student CAD models, covering both command and strategic knowledge.
• The tools significantly improve teaching resource utilization by automating the assessment of basic exercises.
• Teachers can redirect their efforts from routine grading to more impactful guidance of the student learning process, enhancing overall educational quality.