Over the last eight years, the Machine Design courses at the United States Air Force Academy and at the University of Texas, Austin have evolved through the development, implementation and assessment of extensive active learning methods to the curriculum. In particular, the courses were evolved to include extensive hands-on projects that are integrated throughout the course as well as a significant multimedia component. The hands-on educational innovations, which promote experiential

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... on using hands-on devices such as remote controlled cars, Lego RoboLab, and reverse engineering of consumer products, have received very positive assessment. The multimedia, which includes extensive foundational content on Mechanics of Materials as well as a separate multimedia experience for learning about planetary gear systems, has also been assessed and received very affirmative feedback. The assessment of these active learning educational innovations has been multifaceted. Quantitative components of the assessment have included student end-of-course critiques, homework, specific exam questions and survey data. Qualitative assessment has been achieved through focus groups as well as both written and verbal feedback from students and professors using the active learning aids. Although the majority of the assessment has been positive, we have also received important constructive criticism during the development of these educational Copyright © 2005 by ASME of machine elements and subsystems, such as gears, bearings, and springs. At the US Air Force Academy (USAFA), cadets in the mechanical engineering program take their machine design course during the second semester of their junior year. This course is referred to as ME 370 -Machine Design, and it also divides the course material between basic theory and a study of machine elements. Thus, classically, emphasis of machine design courses has been on solid mechanics principles applied to individual machine elements.