Research on the Reform of Mechanical Design Course Design Based on the Concept of OBE

To address issues like limited innovation, monotonous course content, and an incomplete evaluation system in traditional mechanical design courses, this paper proposes a course design reform centered on student-focused learning and innovation-driven education based on the OBE (Outcomes-Based Education) philosophy. The reform encourages students to independently select topics, engage in interdisciplinary integration, and adopt project-based approaches, implementing four practical components: clarifying practical goals, assessing the novelty of chosen topics, promoting teamwork and independent learning, and extending through presentations and competitions. To measure evaluations, a comprehensive system is established, comprising knowledge (34 %), skills (33 %), qualities (33 %), and advanced indicators (5%). Specifically, this involves: knowledge objectives (drawing quality 22 %, manual completeness 12 %), ability objectives (presentation 20 %, physical demonstration 5 %, innovation 8 %), and quality objectives (independent learning 10 %, teamwork 5 %, topic significance 13 %, engineering ethics 5 %). This creates a “knowledge-ability-quality-integrated” training model, offering a measurable and innovative path for engineering practice instruction.