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Custom Course GPT for MEE 331  - Manufacturing Processes

Iman Salehinia, Ph.D.

Mechanical Engineering

Description

MEE331, Manufacturing Processes, is a foundational undergraduate course in mechanical engineering that helps students connect engineering theory to real manufacturing practice. In this course, students must learn not only the fundamentals of manufacturing processes, but also how to make engineering decisions involving materials, process selection, tolerances, surface finish, cost, quality, production volume, and manufacturability. Because MEE331 develops practical engineering judgment rather than simple memorization, it requires an approach that emphasizes critical thinking, reflection, and decision-making.

Dr. Salehinia developed a custom course GPT to serve as a guided learning and self-assessment tool rather than an answer generator. The GPT supports students in three structured modes: Socratic Coaching, Self-Assessment, and Industry-Focused Guidance. In Socratic mode, the GPT helps students think through manufacturing problems by asking guiding questions, prompting them to explain their reasoning, and helping them identify assumptions and trade-offs rather than simply giving answers. In Self-Assessment mode, students use the GPT to reflect on and evaluate their own understanding through practice questions and feedback. In Industry-Focused mode, the GPT pushes students to connect course concepts to real engineering practice by considering issues such as cost, tolerances, materials, scalability, and manufacturability.

The GPT is grounded in the lecture slides and course materials developed for the course so that, when students use it for self-assessment, it can generate questions aligned with class content in multiple formats, including multiple-choice, true/false, and short essay questions. This allows the GPT to provide more targeted practice and feedback based directly on the material used in the course, helping students prepare more effectively for quizzes, exams, and project work. 

Tags

AI Learning Tools Assessment Design Text Generation Critical Thinking Disciplinary Skills

Learning Objectives

  • Develop practical engineering judgment and critical thinking skills.

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