The following is an abstract for a Mechanical Engineering class offered at Georgia Tech:
It is commonly accepted that hands-on experiences increase both learning and enjoyment during coursework. Mechatronics projects provide both interesting and relevant hands-on experiences for a wide range of topics including design processes, basic mechatronics concepts, technical communication, and working in a group environment. ME2110: Creative Decisions and Design at Georgia Tech integrates mechatronics and technical communication into a sophomore level mechanical design class. This paper describes the course in detail, highlighting the course goals and layout, tools provided to the students, industry involvement, and the main challenges of administering such a course.
Each year, the class culminates in a robotic competition that is observed by corporate sponsors, where students can get interviews or jobs. Below is a video from the Spring 2010 competition. (For more on the course, visit: ME 2110 – Creative Decisions And Design)
Source: Using mechatronics to teach mechanical design and technical communication