Peer tutoring in engineering design: A case study

The case study provides an evaluation of the use of peer tutoring to introduce students to the use of a state-of-the-art solid modelling designer's package in a second year mechanical engineering design subject at the University of New South Wales. In 1993 a situation arose in which peer tutoring was seen as a viable teaching strategy for the first 4 weeks of the second year subject. Approximately three-quarters of the students had taken the traditional pencil-and-paper drawing and descriptive geometry in their first year, whereas one-quarter of the students had taken an equivalent subject at work stations employing the designer's package. Hence the majority of students would require intensive tutorial assistance to develop sufficient mastery of the packages to undertake design work, whilst one-quarter of the students were already proficient in their use. The outcomes from the evaluation study have indicated a new potential for using peer tutoring to achieve course goals related to the development of communication skills; and have led to planning to integrate tutorial assistance needs of students commencing computer graphics at work stations with the needs of later year students for developing skills in a mode of communication which is rapidly assuming importance.