Improving Skills in Mechanism and Machine Science Using GIM Software

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

-The paper is documented;

-The learning activities presented are showing the versatility of GIM, and consist of practical and problem-based learning  sessions;

- positive effects in use of the software.

 

Author Response

Thank you, we appreciate your comments.

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper presents the features of a software tool for the kinematics and dynamics simulation of mechanical systems. The software looks interesting both for teachers and students. The paper presents interesting and well described examples. 

My overall evaluation of the paper is positive. As an improvement I would suggest to better describe education-related issues and the impact of this tool in mechanics courses. Regarding the evaluation with the 176 students, how was this analysis conducted? How long did they practice with the software? How many course lectures were employed for explaining the software? Regarding the online survey, how many response were collected? 

   

Author Response

Thank you, we appreciate your comments.

Two different surveys have been done. The first one was sent to the students of the Faculty of Engineering in Bilbao who had coursed the subjects of ‘Applied Mechanics’, ‘Machines Kinematics and Dynamics’ and ‘Mechanisms and Machines Theory’ and 176 responses were collected. The second one was sent to users of other institutions all over the world and received 81 responses. Both surveys were different, but they shared that both were voluntary, anonymous and made via Google Forms.

In the Faculty of Engineering in Bilbao the students of the Mechanical Engineering Degree and Industrial Technology Degree course at least two lectures (four hours) of software explanation. Then they have to practice to solve some exercises but normally students practice themselves afterwards as they voluntarily use the program to check the results of manually made problems.

This information has been added to the revised version of the manuscript.

Reviewer 3 Report

This paper explains the working of GIM software (developed at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Spain). GIM software is a virtual tool which compliments the theory lectures and is useful for enhancing the learning activities of the mechanical engineering students. While it cannot be considered as a research paper, it can be useful for the purpose of learning how to run the GIM software and act as a tutorial for the same. It also depicts the different features of the GIM software which is interesting for the audience interested in learning more about the software. In its present form, as a tutorial and informative paper, I find it suitable for publication, however as a research paper it does not add anything new to the present literature.

Author Response

In our opinion, and coinciding with the other reviewers' assessment, this work fulfils the necessary requirements of a journal research paper. As other research papers in which specific software programs are presented, the capacities of GIM software are explained, including some illustrative examples, and in this case, demonstrating its positive impact in teaching and learning in subjects such as mechanics, dynamics and mechanism theory. Furthermore, we have shown the great number of universities and research centers that use this software. The main research content is not so focused on the technical aspect but in the use of the tool with an educational purpose.