Please scroll down for the English version - "Getting hands dirty, igniting passion" | The story behind the British scholar teaching a National First-Class Course at UNNC.
近日，教育部结束了相关认定结果的公示，宁波诺丁汉大学的《设计、制造及项目》课程成功被评为国家级一流本科课程。该课程融入了大量的实践元素，鼓励学生学以致用、知行合一。这样的教学设计广受学生的好评和喜爱，更有不少人认为这是自己在宁诺求学期间最难忘的经历。这门课程的负责人便是宁诺机械、材料与制造工程系助理教授——Adam Rushworth。
从英诺到宁诺
——用鼓励引领学生的探索之路
Adam来自英国，他所教授的《设计、制造及项目》课程是宁波诺丁汉大学材料成型及控制工程专业的核心课程之一。据介绍，这门课程的灵感来源于他在英国诺丁汉大学时期学习的设计与制造的相关课程，他说：“我对这门课程记忆颇深。它的难度非常大，学生们需要从零打造出一台通过压缩空气产生旋转动力的马达，最终只有极个别的小组能够成功，但整个过程仍让人终生难忘。”
Adam认为，学生固然需要在压力下应对挑战、寻求突破，但如果一门课程只有10%甚至更少的人能获得成功，剩余的大部分学生可能会失落、沮丧，甚至因为挫败感而停止对科学的探索。反之，如果学生通过努力最终取得哪怕并不完美的成果，这样的经历在带来喜悦和成就感的同时，还能鼓舞他们继续创新。带着这些思考，Adam着手对课题难度和研究深度做了大幅的改进和优化，并加入了更多的互动环节，让学生在学习过程中建立自信，激发他们对科学探索的热情。
此外，对于部分学生 “放不开”、“回避发言”等痛点，Adam则会通过设计奖励机制、运用交互软件等方式辅助教学，为课堂营造积极的氛围，确保每一位学生都能深度参与到其中。
从乐高到水陆两栖车
——“尽情弄脏你的双手吧！”
Adam的教学强调“动觉学习”，注重实操和参与，鼓励学生在实践过程中理解抽象的机械工程理论。乐高的Mindstorm系列是Adam本科课程教学活动中的“常客”。据了解，该系列配备丰富的可编程主机、传感器、马达等元件，能快速让学生完成从构思到测试的步骤。例如，在部分教学环节中，乐高Mindstorm扮演着帮助学生克服早期设计开发阶段相关障碍的重要角色。
此外，Adam还会经常在课堂上激情饱满地对学生大声说：“尽情弄脏你们的双手吧！” 在《设计、制造及项目》课程中，Adam会让学生们带上各自设计和制作的水陆两用车辆，分别在水面上和陆地上和学生们一起从实用性、耐用性等方面测试每个作品，带着大家一起“把自己的双手弄脏”。
▷ 水陆两栖小车测试
Adam透露，“弄脏双手”的理念来源于自己少年时期的经历。他说：“我从小就喜欢用乐高研究如何搭建出复杂的可动机械结构。大约在我11岁的时候，我曾独自发明了一个‘瓶子火箭’，通过水和空气作为推进动力让瓶子往前飞，使得这个‘火箭’能飞出30多米远的距离。当你亲身参与到设计和制作过程中并最终取得收获，你就能体会到科学的魅力。”
来自2021届的陈天怡回忆
“这门课程给我留下了很深的印象，因为它还原了一个产品从设计、制作到最终测试的过程。我印象最深的是测试那天，整个环节充满了乐趣，我们的作品需要在地面和水池中运行，每个小组的作品都各有千秋。虽然我所在的小组的车辆行驶距离不是最远的，但其中有一个巧妙的设计得到了Adam的高度认可。这门课是我在宁诺四年中最难忘的一部分。”
国际生Ricardo Bossano
“这门课程让我体验了作为一个工程师在设计产品时所面临的一切。通过结合实践项目，我们能更好地理解所教授的内容，并在这些基础上做出更多的尝试和创新。我真的能体会到对于高新技术设计与制造的乐趣，我也计划将在这个领域长久发展。”
从科幻到科普
——点燃梦想、激发热情
课堂外，Adam是个不折不扣的科幻迷，《星际迷航》、《星球大战》等西方科幻片曾深深吸引着自己，激起了他少年时期对科学的向往。他坦言，如今中国诞生了诸如《三体》和《流浪地球》这样的优秀作品，这势必会引领新一代中国少年去追逐属于他们的“科学梦”。
Adam还一直热衷于科学和工程的相关知识的推广。2019年，他应邀参与了宁波市科学技术协会主办的《脑洞大开的3D打印》主题科技咖啡馆活动，展示了3D打印技术的相关运用，并通过极富视觉冲击力的现场操作，为各年龄段的观众科普制造和材料等领域的内容。他还走进宁波当地高中，在夏校和各类分享会中传授相关的专业知识。
就在不久前，宁波诺丁汉大学上线了《诺学说Nottinghorizon》 视频栏目，以知识分享、视野开拓、智慧启迪为目标，通过生动而易懂的方式为大众讲述专业知识。在一系列的视频中，Adam化身玩转工业和医疗机器人的机械工程师，为观众介绍机械相关的基础理论，同时探讨时下热门的机器人技术、激光、3D打印等话题。他希望通过为大众科普相关知识和行业发展，激起更多人对学习机械工程的热情。
相关数据显示，近年来，超过50%的宁诺机械、材料与制造工程系毕业生进入了加利福尼亚大学伯克利分校、哥伦比亚大学等全球顶尖学府或者苹果、宝马、华为等世界知名企业。Adam相信，学生在高参与度的科研活动中亲身体会通过努力走向成功的过程是一笔宝贵的财富，这有助于引领他们走上工程与设计的道路，更对他们未来的职业发展带来了积极的影响。Adam也期待着在未来带领更多宁诺学子一起“把自己的双手弄脏”，共同探索工程与设计的魅力。
"Getting hands dirty, igniting passion" | The story behind the British scholar teaching a National First-Class Course at UNNC
Recently, the module "Design, Manufacture, and Project" offered by the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was successfully recognised as a National Level First-Class undergraduate module. The module incorporates a large number of practical elements, encouraging students to apply what they have learned, and put it into practice. This teaching approach has been widely praised and loved by students, with many considering it the most unforgettable experience during their time at UNNC. The course is convened by Dr Adam Rushworth, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering at UNNC.
Adam is from the UK, and the module “Design, Manufacture, and Project” is one of the core modules of the programme Mechanical Engineering. The inspiration for the module design originates from his design and manufacture related studies at the University of Nottingham in the UK. “I had a very memorable experience when I was doing undergraduate study, where students were required to build an air motor from scratch and only very few groups made it,” he recalled.
Adam believes that while it is important to have challenging projects to make the students work hard and bring out their best with their creative skills and manufacturing skills, it would be very frustrating and disappointing for students if there’s only 10% of success rate, or even stop them from further exploration. With these thoughts in mind, Adam made significant improvements and optimisations to the difficulty and depth of the module, and increased interactive activities to help students build confidence and stimulate their passion for scientific research.
Adam’s teaching puts great emphasis on practice and encourages students to interpret abstract mechanical engineering theories in practice. Lego Mindstorms, which is used to create mechanical systems and includes sets of modular sensors and motors along with computerised Lego bricks, is often used in Adam’s teaching to let students quickly test their ideas. In the module "Design, Manufacture, and Project", Adam encourages students to get their hands dirty together by designing, manufacturing and testing an “amphibious vehicle”.
Tianyi Chen, a class of 2021 student, was greatly impressed by this module and that process. “The testing day was memorable. Our works had to operate both on land and in water. Although our vehicle did not travel the farthest, there was a clever design that gained Adam's high approval. This course was a very unforgettable part of my study at UNNC.”
Outside of the classroom, Adam is a fan of science fiction, and has also been passionate about promoting knowledge related to science and engineering. Not long ago, UNNC launched a video programme “Nottinghorizon”, to introduce basics of professional fields, share knowledge with a wider audience and ignite potential academic interests. In the series of videos, Adam introduces and presents the basic knowledge around mechanical engineering and discusses popular topics such as robotics, laser technologies and 3D printing.
According to the latest data, over 50% of the UNNC graduates of Mechanical Engineering went on to study in top universities around the globe like University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University, or headed to world renowned enterprises like Apple, BMW, and Huawei. Adam believes that students' firsthand experience of the process of striving towards success through highly participatory scientific research activities is a valuable asset which builds a foundation for their future path in engineering and design and has a positive impact on their career development. He also looks forward to leading more UNNC students to "get their hands dirty " and exploring the charm of engineering and design together.
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宁波诺丁汉大学市场与传媒办公室
宁波诺丁汉大学
中国第一所中外合作大学
卓越学术 精彩未来
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