Application of Project-Based Learning in the first year of an Industrial Engineering Program: lessons learned and challenges

Abstract

The Industrial Engineering Program at the School of Engineering of Lorena at the University of São Paulo has been using the Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology in the first term of the academic year since 2013. This article describes the experience of the first four years of the use, the lessons learned, and the remaining challenges. The use of PBL has been widely recognized by the students as one of the Industrial Engineering program's differentiating features. Lessons have been learned continuously and have been subsequently incorporated to the application of the project. Much has been refined during this time frame but there is much more to be done. Some challenges persist, such as: (i) improving interaction with the course of Calculus I; (ii) enhancing peer evaluation; (iii) expanding the project coordination team, and (iv) refining tools for data collection and analysis Keywords

Different Teaching Approaches and Use of Active Learning Strategies as Tools for Inter- and Transdisciplinary Education

“…Additionally, it is clear that, in the case of Engineering, active learning strategies involving collaborative team activities are the best for simulating the real situations faced by engineers in today's world (Graaff, Saunders-Smits & Nieweg, 2005). Thus, we highlight Project-Based Learning (Pereira, Barreto & Pazeti., 2017;Stozhko, Bortnik, Mironova, Tchernysheva & Podshivalova., 2015;Treadwell, 2018), Problem-Based Learning (Graaff & Kolmos, 2007;Yadav, Subedi, Lundeberg & Bunting, 2011), Team-Based Learning (Koles, Stolfi, Borges, Nelson & Parmelle, 2010;Parmelee, Michaelsen, Cook & Hudes, 2012;Zhang, Wu & Li, 2018), and Design Thinking (Glen, Suciu, Baughn & Anson, 2015; Design Thinking for educators, 2013; Ingle, 2013), among others.…”

An Attempt to Bring Calculation Closer to Student Reality through Active Methodologies: 4E's

“…In the PBL methodology students are arranged in teams which in turn receive a problem situation in which the concepts of the discipline are required to solve it. The problem situation is based on cases experienced by professionals working in the profession intended by students (Pereira et. al, 2017;Milss and Treagust 2003;Santos et.…”

Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics contents through PBL in an Industrial Engineering and Management first year program

“…Integration of STEM contents is not a streamline task and in Industrial Engineering programs is reportedly a challenging endeavour (Pereira et al, 2017), giving motivation for the research reported on this paper. The delivery of individual STEM subjects is the traditional way and although the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration, the attempt at integration is not commonly applied (Bell, 2016).…”