Mechatronics-the evolution of an academic discipline in engineering education

In a didactic approach to mechatronics, the academic subject can be defined according to four dimensions: identity, legitimacy, selection and communication. A result of defining the legitimacy of mechatronics as functional is that the ultimate identity can be viewed as thematic. Following this, a model is proposed to describe the evolution of mechatronics, from a disciplinary identity towards a thematic. The move from a disciplinary identity to a thematic is divided into six stages, each represented by a characteristic view and academic practice of the subject. To further illustrate this evolutional process examples from various universities in northern Europe are given. The universities analysed for this purpose presents examples for stages 3-5 in the model; stages represented by a change in courses (stage 3), a change in curricula (stage 4) and by a change in organization (stage 5).