Enhancements To An Undergraduate Mechanisms Course

This paper covers techniques used at the University of Toronto to enhance the presentation of materials for an undergraduate mechanisms course. Some are based on the implementation visual aids in lecture presentations. The aids include the use of (i) translucent plastic models suitable for display on an overhead projector, (ii) physical models suitable for demonstration using a document camera and video projector, and (iii) computer animations which may be shown using a video projector. Examples are provided for each. The paper includes discussions of the relative merits and limitations of each of these methods of providing demonstrations, and means that the authors have employed to maximize their impact. In addition, the paper discusses the results of implementing a laboratory based on the Working Model 2D software.