The Challenge
Clive Hands has taught Mechanical Engineering for decades. Semesters keep getting shorter, while the syllabus does not.
Undergraduates have to master difficult concepts in a short time, and many arrive with little practical experience. Guiding a large class through problem-solving exercises, without overwhelming them, takes more time than one lecturer has.
Clive also supports postgraduate students in an external design group, where they work alongside industry professionals. Here the challenge is different: students struggle to turn academic theory into real design ideas.
On top of this sits a heavy administrative workload. Clive wants to help every student as much as they need, but he does not have the hours to do it.
How Clive Works with Mindjoy
Clive built tutors for his modules on his own tutorials, memos and exercises. Students use them in class and whenever they study, including late at night, when no lecturer or student assistant is available.
He uses Socratic mode, so the tutor guides students towards an answer instead of handing it over. Students still do the hard thinking that real learning needs.
In the design group, students use a tutor to question the ideas behind their projects, find likely pitfalls and develop solutions before they present to industry partners. The tutor does not do the work for them. It helps them apply theory to real problems.
Clive also uses Insights to follow understanding across large classes. He runs quick weekly checks instead of long tests. They are faster for him to set and less stressful for students.
The Impact
Students now get support on Clive's own material at any hour, and routine questions no longer wait for his office hours. That frees Clive for the work that needs him: higher-level discussion, design mentoring and creative problem-solving.
Socratic mode builds independent reasoning, a skill that carries straight into engineering practice. Insights show Clive where students struggle, so he can reteach the fundamentals before the class moves on to harder material.
Students test their project ideas in a setting where they feel comfortable, and they build the habit of learning on their own. For Clive, teaching a large class has become more manageable, and more of his time goes to the students who need it.
