Case study of a project-based learning course in civil engineering design

Abstract

Abstract:This paper describes the use of project based learning to teach design skills to civil engineering students at University College Dublin (UCD). The paper first considers the development of problem based leaning (PBL) as a tool in higher education. The general issues to be considered in the design of the curriculum for an PBL module are reviewed. Consideration of the literature on the application of PBL in civil engineering suggests that because of the hierarchical nature of engineering education, PBL is best applied in a hybrid form known as Project Based Learning. A detailed description is given of how hybrid PBL was implemented in the final year of a civil engineering degree programme is then presented. In the final section, the results of an evaluation process designed to gain an insight into students' perceptions of the PBL process are reviewed. The module which was developed at UCD provided an excellent mechanism for developing many skills including, problem-solving, innovation, group-working and presentation skills desired by graduate employers. It was clear that the students enjoyed the peer to peer teaching and increased interaction with staff and external experts which the problem solving nature of the module facilitated.

Exploring of students' knowledge using the Concept Inventory Test at Technical University

“…Our findings also support many other authors Annetta et al 2013;Bekele 2010;Francis & Shannon, 2013;Gavin 2011;Gröber et al 2014;Hake, 1998b;Hestenes et al, 1992;Kristak et al, 2013;Macho-Stadler & Elejalde-García, 2013;Madhuri,Kantamreddi & Prakash Goteti, 2012;Mazur, 1997;Oliveira & Oliveira, 2013) who have already dealt with the issue; they all have proven that problem-based learning, project-based learning, Internet-supported learning, video-based problems, P&E method, conceptual question application, Interactive engagement methods, model-based introductory physics curriculum, and other inquiry-based teaching methods enhance higher order cognitive skills and that students do better than those attending traditional lecture-lab type instruction.…”

Role of employers in the process of Civil Engineering curriculum development: A case in Poland = El papel de los empleadores en el desarrollo curricular de los Ingenieros Civiles: Un caso en Polonia

“…The plans and programs of study and the level and profile of education should be adapted to appropriate learning outcomes. Learning outcomes for a field of study have to be consistent with the description of learning outcomes contained in the National Qualification Frameworks, which have become a compulsory basis for the creation of educational programs [5,14].…”

“…The European and National Qualification Frameworks, which are the source of the generic outcomes specified for each learning outcome on the one hand, and the internal and external quality assurance systems on the other, are the guarantee that different kinds of limitations will not threaten the expectations of stakeholders involved in curriculum design in relation to the assumed learning outcomes [5][6][7]12,13].…”

Supporting active learning in an undergraduate geotechnical engineering course using group-based audience response systems quizzes

“…Entwhistle (1997) suggested that this fundamental task involves encouraging students to adopt a deeper approach to learning, where students think critically and interact actively with the information they receive rather than accepting it passively and simply reproducing it during assessment. In an engineering learning environment, students may be exposed to a wide range of methods aimed at stimulating active learning, some examples of which include problem-based learning (Huntzinger et al 2007; Hansa 2008;Gavin 2011) The use of handheld, wireless Audience Response System (ARS) devices (also called electronic voting systems, classroom communication systems or simply "clickers") in higher education has increased over recent years, predominantly owing to their ability to actively engage students, for promoting individual and group learning, and for providing instantaneous feedback to students and teachers (Nicol and Boyle 2003;Reay et al 2008;Davenport et al 2009;Schmidt 2011). Students are supplied with a clicker and use them to select answers to multiple choice questions.…”

“…Entwhistle (1997) suggested that this fundamental task involves encouraging students to adopt a deeper approach to learning, where students think critically and interact actively with the information they receive rather than accepting it passively and simply reproducing it during assessment. In an engineering learning environment, students may be exposed to a wide range of methods aimed at stimulating active learning, some examples of which include problem-based learning (Huntzinger et al 2007;Hansa 2008;Gavin 2011), real world demonstrations (Shapira 2005;Todd et al 2005;Ashford and Mills 2006), design projects (McAlpine et al 2006;Dowlen and Townsend 2011) and virtual experiments (Kajewski 1999;Vera et al, 2006;Shekar 2007).…”