Designing a Learning Experience for EXRI 4699 - Computer-Assisted Design II

Introduction

EXRI 4699 equips students with skills to effectively use Trimble SketchUp for presenting designs to stakeholders. Building on the foundations set in the prerequisite course, EXRI 3510, we further develop proficiency in transforming 3D models into printable packages, a critical skill for design communication.

This course description below has been copied from the official course landing page .

Cad II is an extension of the lessons learned in CAD I. This project-based credit course will focus on developing more advanced skills in generating two-dimensional drawings and three-dimensional models, still primarily based on Google SketchUp. In addition, students will develop a greater awareness of presentation skills using the software’s built-in animation features and creating working/presentation drawings with Google LayOut. Prerequisite: EXRI 3510.

Course Cohorts

Course Design

Inheriting the course from an adept predecessor, I noted its structure hinged on interactive sessions around a single project. While this fostered engagement, it largely depended on student initiative and lacked specific session outcomes. Furthermore, focusing on one or two projects potentially restricted students’ exposure to the breadth of strategies within the SketchUp to Layout workflow.

To address this, I have revamped the course to be more structured and interactive, incorporating new exercises, assignments, example files, and supplementary resources from the SketchUp community. In addition, a significant shift in the curriculum is the early introduction of LayOut, mitigating the late-term learning curve of a new program and helping to set clear course expectations.

Instructor

Having experience teaching this course online and in-person, I feel the latter is more conducive to prompt question-asking and technical assistance, especially for minor issues. However, I have successfully adapted class exercises and assignments to accommodate students in rural areas with limited internet connectivity and hardware limitations.

Conclusion

EXRI 4699, while enjoyable, presents unique educational challenges. Instructors need to address varied skill levels and learning paces, encourage the exploration of advanced SketchUp and LayOut features, and balance technical skill development with a focus on creativity and aesthetics. I enjoy this class and have great plans for the upcoming course.

Updates

• Winter 2024 (upcoming)
  • integrate more residential interior-specific topics from previous courses
  • add student class presentations as a minor checkpoint
  • more to come…
• Winter 2023
  • updated presentation slide content
  • updated presentation slide template
  • restructured assignment descriptions for consistency
  • created new assignments
  • created new in-class exercises
  • provided more work samples
  • made some optional assignments mandatory
  • introduced LayOut earlier in the term
  • provided more supplemental resources
• Winter 2022
  • created new beginner exercises
  • add rendering module
  • created optional rendering exercise
  • created optional project overview exercise
  • provided more work samples
  • introduced LayOut earlier in the term
  • added course content about SketchUp extensions