Progressive development of professional engineering skills through programmed project activities in EE

Abstract

This paper presents a model for the progressive development of product development skills through programmed project activities across Undergraduate programmes in Electrical or Information Engineering. The model is based on a substantial project in each year of the degree programme and that the project is technical in nature. Other than these two requirements the proposed model can be applied. The model shows how the generic CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) has been applied across a set of 3-and 4-year Engineering degree programmes to derive a set of staged learning objectives that build competence and confidence in a range of important engineering skills. Some of the skills developed are Needs analysis, requirements capture and specification writing; Creativity and innovation; Design (in the broadest sense); Modelling and simulation; Manufacturing; Assembly and testing; Cost and market evaluation; specifications for use; product usage and life cycle awareness; and professional record keeping and reporting. The main challenge in creating and implementing this plan was to ensure a minimum number of teaching hours that had to be devoted to these perceived as not 'real engineering' content.The model has only be running for two year so judgements on its effectiveness can only be preliminary. However, a full first year of student project work has been marked so early commentary on the development of the model and its overall efficacy can be discussed.The paper will set the scene for the overall design of the model and give a description of it. It will then discuss comments from the markers of the stage 1 and 2 project reports on the effectiveness of the projects so far and of adjustments that have been made to make them more effective in achieving the joint objectives of developing students' technical abilities in engineering and the skills expected of a professional engineer.