Teaching Higher on Bloom's Taxonomy: Experience in Introduction to Graphical Communications Course

Introduction to Graphical Communications is designed to familiarize the student with the basic principles of engineering drawing, to improve three dimensional visualization skills, and to teach the fundamentals of a computer aided design program. Much of the instruction is focused on knowledge and comprehension, low levels of Bloom's taxonomy. However, the students' ability to use this knowledge and comprehension to explore real engineering design is unknown. This paper includes the implementation of Bloom's taxonomy in the Introduction to Graphical Communications course, and shows how students are moved up Bloom's taxonomy by including a group final project into the course. Students are required to form the team, research the product they want to design, design their power point and present their work as a team. The team project enables and challenges students to work on highest level of Bloom's taxonomy by emphasizing teamwork, exploring real engineering design problem, and enhancing their oral and written skills.