Better student engagement in class by implementation of self-initiated project in undergraduate mechanical engineering course

High level tertiary engineering education is often overflooded with mathematical derivation and explanation of theory. While lecture mode is an effective way of delivering complex concept, it is at the expense of poor student engagement. In this case study, a self-initiated project component is implemented in an undergraduate mechanical engineering course consisting of local students in Hong Kong. Better student engagement is prominently found in comparison to regular lecture mode, as demonstrated by a significant quantitative improvement in student interaction during class. The results further suggest that compulsory participation can subsequently induce voluntary participation. This finding sheds lights on devising compulsory engagement protocol to trigger sustainable student engagement in Asian tertiary education.