Starting from their freshman year, automotive engineering students at FH Joanneum are involved in project work within the framework of project-based learning. Software projects complementary to the regular courses in the second and third semester increase the efficiency of knowledge transfer and fortify the students' motivation to learn and to co-operate actively. The second, requirement-intensified phase within this problem oriented curricular framework takes place in the junior year and involves student selected research and development projects. A popular and therefore most frequently chosen project is the development of a formula-style race car within the rules and standards of the Society of Automotive Engineers' international Formula Student competition. In this paper the impact of the Formula Student project on the Freshmen's and Sophomore's choice of student projects is described and discussed by specific examples. The fact that the young students take the initiative and define their own research topics poses new challenges to the project supervisors. The students' motivation, creativity and problem-solving skills ought to be supported while at the same time the projects' feasibility must be assured. Students and advisors need to agree on applicable solution strategies in the different phases of the projects.
Bratschitsch is head of the Department of Vehicle Technologies (Automotive and Railway Engineering) and teaches Electrics, Electronics and Methods of Signal Processing at the University of Applied Sciences Joanneum in Graz (Austria). She is also a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Transport of the Technical University of Sofia (Bulgaria). She graduated with a degree in Medical Electronics as well in Technical Journalism from the Technical University of Sofia and received her PhD from the Technical University of Graz (Austria). She gained industrial experience in automation of control systems, engineering of electronic control systems and software development. Her R&D activities comprise design of signal processing and data analysis methods, modeling, simulation and control of automotive systems as well as Engineering Education.
with a degree in Applied Languages (Translation and Interpreting) in 1991. She has been teaching business and technical English both in industry and at university level in Austria for the past 12 years.
Emilia Bratschitsch, Joanneum Univeristy of Applied SciencesEmilia Bratschitsch is head of the Department of Vehicle Technologies (Automotive and Railway Engineering) and teaches Electrics, Electronics and Methods of Signal Processing at the University of Applied Sciences Joanneum in Graz (Austria). She is also a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Transport of the Technical University of Sofia (Bulgaria). She graduated with a degree in Medical Electronics as well in Technical Journalism from the Technical University of Sofia and received her PhD from the Technical University of Graz (Austria). She gained industrial experience in automation of control systems, engineering of electronic control systems and software development. Her R&D activities comprise design of signal processing and data analysis methods, modelling, simulation and control of automotive systems as well as Engineering Education.
The result of this integrated approach grants students the knowledge necessary to be able to work either at home or abroad and to be able to make the transition beyond their own cultural borders while at the same time improving both foreign language and writing skills to a level requisite for the international workplace of today.
Frank has been teaching English, mainly writing skills, and American culture since 1984. He also teaches English for Engineers at the Graz University of Technology and was involved for many years in in-service teaching training in Austria and abroad. His current focus is using wikis in language teaching.
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