“A project, based on solving a technical design problem, gives students a contextual environment that makes learning relevant and focused” says Savage, Chen and Vanasupa (2007, 15). They believe “that project-based learning is most effective when integrated throughout the undergraduate curriculum. It should not just be a single experience, such as a capstone senior project, club sponsored activity or laboratory activity. Only by integrating project-based learning experiences throughout the undergraduate curriculum will we give students the opportunity to develop a mastery of the fundamentals of science, engineering and mathematics along with providing them with the contextual environment for developing the skills necessary to practice engineering” (p. 16, emphasis added).
Savage, Chen and Vanasupa (2007, 16) explains that “for an engineer in industry, a project is a sequence of tasks required to reach an objective. Typically, the objective is to design a device or process that has value to a customer (user). The project begins by defining a performance problem associated with an application and ends with a design solution.” Having stated this, they explain that “project-based learning is based on the practice of solving problems” (emphasis added). Project-based learning was developed in the mid-1950’s in the field of teaching medicine to replace traditional lecture-based teaching of anatomy, pharmacology and physiology.
Project-based learning “employs a problem as the driving force for learning the fundamental principles that are required to find a solution” (emphasis added), which contrasts the traditional teaching of fundamentals and principles first; followed by recollection to solve problems typically through assignments. However, often “students merely ‘learn’ what is necessary to pass the test or ‘repeat-back’ information to satisfy the instructor” (Savage, Chen and Vanasupa 2007, 16).
How to implement project-based learning (Savage, Chen and Vanasupa 2007, 16):
- First present the students with a set of user-defined performance requirements—it is imperative that the design objective statement is clear and concise. The functional requirements (what the design must do) and the conceptual design solutions (how the requirements are achieved) are derived from this statement. Students analyse potential design solutions from a systems level perspective. They also explore the interrelationships of components, and how they interact with each other and the environment.
- A detailed design solution is developed next. Specifications are established that will enable the design to be fabricated and tested. A prototype of the design solution is built and tested to validate if it meet the original performance requirements.
- Throughout project-based learning students should be challenged to learn how to work in teams and to practice systems level thinking while integrating technologies. The project plan serves to guide students through the project process, teamwork required, importance of communication and to evaluate if the economic objectives of the project are being achieved.
Savage, R.N.; Chen, K.C. and Vanasupa, L. 2007. Integrating Project-based Learning throughout the Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum. The Journal of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education: Innovations and Research, 8(3), 15-27. Electronically accessible from http://ojs.jstem.org/index.php?journal=JSTEM&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=1387
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