Abstract-The paper presents a curriculum design for, and subsequent evaluation of, a communications systems course using problem-based learning (PBL) as the instructional methodology. It details the rationale for implementing PBL as well as reporting intended learning outcomes and assessing the students' achievements.

The shape of Higher Education (HE) in the UK and internationally is changing, with wider access policies leading to greater diversity and heterogeneity in contemporary student populations world-wide. Students in the 21st Century are often described as “fragmented”; meaning they are frequently working whilst participating in a full time Degree programme. Consequently, those in the HE setting are required to become “future ready” which increasingly involves the seamless integration of new digital technologies into undergraduate programmes of teaching and learning. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of the “Inter-Life” three-dimensional virtual world as a suitable Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) tool to support the initial stages of transition from school into university. Our results demonstrate that Inter-Life is “fit for purpose” in terms of the robustness of both the educational and technical design features. We have shown that Inter-Life provides a safe space that supports induction mediated by active learning tasks using learner-generated, multi-modal transition tools. In addition, through the provision of private spaces, Inter-Life also supports and fosters the development of critical reflective thinking skills. However, in keeping with the current literature in the field, some of the students expressed a wish for more training in the functional and social skills required to navigate and experience the Inter-Life virtual world more effectively. Such findings resonate with the current debate in the field which challenges the notion of “digital natives”, but the present study has also provided some new evidence to support the role of virtual worlds for the development of a suitable community to support students undergoing transition to university

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Four different instances of enquiry-based learning (EBL), developed in a School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, are described. Key decisions in the design of these activities are detailed, emphasising fl exibility in approach. Although the activities took place in broadly the same environment, the local contexts required subtle tailoring. The design decisions taken in each case are described and general overviews from integrative evaluations are provided. An emergent distinction between the forms of EBL developed was between those that focused on generic or specifi c skills and those that focused on content knowledge; these may be termed project-based learning and problem-based learning respectively. The infl uence of the focus of the activity on the design decisions is described.This paper reports on some of the teaching and learning developments that arose, at The University of Manchester, from a collaborative problem-based learning (PBL) initiative, supported by the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) and HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England). 1 PBL is an instance of enquiry-based learning (EBL), where students' enquiry into a topic is triggered by an initial problem or scenario. 2 The students following this enquiry engage in the subject matter at a deeper level than in traditional teaching methods, whilst gaining professional, personal and life-long learning skills, in a process integrated with their core subject learning that is well aligned with constructivist models of learning. 3,4 A recent IET survey of employers reported that electrical engineering graduates were very knowledgeable technically; 1 however, they had diffi culty in problem solving and translating theory into practice. This is in line with studies in America and Australia 5 and mirrors the situation facing medicine in McMaster University in Canada, which prompted the development of PBL. 6 MethodologyFour case studies of implementing EBL are described, all based in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. In each case the PBL activity had to fi t into at UNIVERSITE LAVAL on July 14, 2015 ije.sagepub.com Downloaded from N. J. Powell et al.International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education 45/2 an established timetable, constructed for modules delivered in a traditional manner through lectures and tutorials.The key decisions made to implement these EBL activities are described, refl ecting the rationale and the infl uence of the local context that shaped them. These decisions include:Structure: how many problems or scenarios will there be, of what size will these problems be and how do they relate to the rest of the module structure? Timing: when in the module do they occur and how much time is given over to them? Problems and scenarios: what is the nature of the problems or scenarios and how will they be presented? Resources: what resources will be provided and how? Facilitation: how are the groups going to be facilitated and by whom?Learning space: what type of environment will the ses...

As Technical education strains to find a niche in the educational market place, are teachers suffering from a crisis of confidence? How comfortable are they with the everchanging curriculum, with the subjects they are teaching and the reasons why they are teaching them? The broadening of the Technical curriculum in secondary schools to include Practical Craft Skills has proved popular with some teachers, while others perceive a drift back to a purely skills based curriculum along with a further deterioration of the status of Technical departments. This paper explores the present state of Technical Education in Scotland through the analysis of an online survey of 95 practising teachers and an investigation of employers' entrance requirements for apprenticeships in the engineering and construction industries. The results indicate a degree of conflict among staff regarding the role of Technical education, coupled with limited recognition for Technical subjects among employers.

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