Anette Kolmos

REFLECTIONS ON PROJECT WORK AND PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

SUMMARY It is difficult to define and compare project-organized learning and problem-based learning both at a theoretical and a practical level, but there is a need for clarification outlimng differences and similarities for both institutions practising and institutions planning to implement some of these educational ideas. Both project work and problem-based learning emphasize the learning process instead of the teaching process; however, the focus on different aspects of the learning process forms a fruitful base for mutual inspiration and development—like a creative couple challenging the learning process of tomorrow.

PBL and CDIO : complementary models for engineering education development

This paper compares two models for reforming engineering education, problem/project-based learning (PBL), and conceive–design–implement–operate (CDIO), identifying and explaining similarities and differences. PBL and CDIO are defined and contrasted in terms of their history, community, definitions, curriculum design, relation to disciplines, engineering projects, and change strategy. The structured comparison is intended as an introduction for learning about any of these models. It also invites reflection to support the understanding and evolution of PBL and CDIO, and indicates specifically what the communities can learn from each other. It is noted that while the two approaches share many underlying values, they only partially overlap as strategies for educational reform. The conclusions are that practitioners have much to learn from each others experiences through a dialogue between the communities, and that PBL and CDIO can play compatible and mutually reinforcing roles, and thus can be fruitfully combined to reform engineering education.

Increasing the diversity of engineering education – a gender analysis in a PBL context

This paper discusses how to increase the diversity of engineering education by making it more relevant and gainful for all students, as well as more attractive to women. Questions were raised whether, and in which ways the problem-based and project-based learning (PBL) method is apt for increasing gender diversity from both the quality and the quantity point of view. Empirical resources of this article are based on the results from two PhD studies on gender and PBL in engineering education carried out in a Danish context. The results suggest that the learning environment along with the establishment of new engineering programmes with more contextualised content would result in increased recruitment of women along with a substantial level of appreciation of learning. However, recruitment in terms of increasing numbers is not enough for the improvement of diversity. A solution for producing both more and better engineers therefore calls for a change in engineering education. This can be achieved by not only trying to address the requirements of accreditation boards in terms of diverse new engineering competencies, but also including contextual issues in the contents of engineering programs together with an improvement to the learning environment.

PhD Students' Work Conditions and Study Environment in University- and Industry-Based PhD Programmes.

During the last 10 years, new models of funding and training PhD students have been established in Denmark in order to integrate industry into the entire PhD education. Several programmes have been conducted where it is possible to co-finance PhD scholarships or to become an employee as an industrial PhD in a company. An important question is what impact these new conditions will have on the PhD students’ training, work conditions and study environment. In this article, the new type of programmes will be presented together with data analysis of PhD students’ work conditions and study environment in various programmes mainly based on a research project from 2006. The results of this study show no significant difference between PhD students in a traditional university PhD programme and PhD students in an industrial programme concerning working environment. However, the study shows significant differences in the intercultural dimension, where foreign PhD students are significantly more satisfied with their study environment compared with Danish PhD students. In general the workload is very high and the environment is stressful for all PhD students.

Innovative Application of a New PBL Model to Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Projects

In the knowledge society, learning is not only knowledge acquisition or participation in established social practice. It is also a process of creating new knowledge collaboratively when addressing complex problems which involve interdisciplinary knowledge and innovative thinking. In our research we focus on questions of how to prepare engineering students for the increasing complexity of their professional lives and how to help them acquire skills of collaboration, management and innovation as well as awareness of knowledge creation. This paper will discuss these questions by examining the learning process in the ICT-based, intercultural and interdisciplinary PBL environment of an international student satellite project.

Motivational factors, gender and engineering education

Based on survey data covering the full population of students enrolled in Danish engineering education in autumn 2010, we explore the motivational factors behind educational choice, with a particular aim of comparing male and female students1 reasons for choosing a career in engineering. We find that women are significantly more influenced by mentors than men, while men tend to be more motivated by intrinsic and financial factors, and by the social importance of the engineering profession. Parental influence is low across all programmes and by differentiating between specific clusters of engineering programmes, we further show that these overall gender differences are subtle and that motivational factors are unequally important across the different educational programmes. The findings from this study clearly indicate that intrinsic and social motivations are the most important motivational factors; however, gender and programme differentiation needs to be taken into account, and points towards diverse future strategies for attracting students to engineering education.

Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning in Engineering Education: Merging Models

Introduction In the practice of engineering education, there is a wide variety of implementations of problem-based or project-based learning (PBL). In this chapter we aim to explain the relationships between different types of problem-based and project-based learning to help teachers and educational managers make innovative choices and provide benchmarks for educational researchers. We present a combined understanding of problem- and project-based learning, the theoretical and historical background, and the different models of PBL that can capture the existing practices, ranging from small- to large-scale practice, from classroom teaching to institutional models, and from single-subject to interdisciplinary and complex knowledge construction. It is well known that one-way dissemination of knowledge by means of lectures is not very effective in achieving learning (van der Vleuten, 1997). In higher education concepts such as “self-directed-learning,” “case-based learning,” “inquiry based learning,” “experiential learning,” “service learning,” “project-based service learning,” “active learning,” CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, and Operate), “project-based learning,” and “problem-based learning” were introduced in the decades after the Second World War. All these new learning concepts come under the umbrella of learner-centered or student-centered learning models. Problem-based and project-based learning, both known as PBL, originate from the reform universities, and the new educational models, established between 1965 and 1975. In problem-based learning, problems form the starting point for students’ learning emphasizing a self-directed learning process in teams. The educational model problem-based learning was introduced at curriculum scale at the medical faculty of McMaster University, Canada, followed by Maastricht University in the Netherlands and many others. Project-based learning shares the aspect of students working on problems in teams, but with the added component that they have to submit a project report completed collaboratively by the project team. The problem- and project-based/project organized model adopted at Aalborg University and Roskilde University, Denmark, was inspired by the critical pedagogy in Europe after the student revolts of the 1960s. At Aalborg University both models of PBL were eventually combined in problem-based project organized learning, which was practiced at all faculties – the Faculty of Engineering and Science being the largest. This combined approach is the central point of reference for this chapter, as the pedagogical development in engineering education indicates that both educational practices are successful in their own way and the abbreviation PBL is here defined as including both practices.

Innovation and Research on Engineering Education

Our Western society depends strongly on continuous technological innovation. Engineers, the designers of the future technology need extensive competencies to face the challenge of dealing with ever increasing complexity. In some areas more than half the knowledge they learn in University is obsolete by the time the enter practice. Recognition of these issues has recently resulted in worldwide increase of attention for innovation of engineering education. This chapter presents a brief outline of the traditions in higher engineering education culminating in the stage of research and development in the last century. Next, the recent revival of engineering education research is described, contrasting the developments in the USA with Europe and the rest of the world. The efforts in the USA appear to follow Boyer’s concept scholarship of teaching, and aim for the establishment of engineering education research as a discipline in its own right. The trend in Europe is to build on the experiences with social sciences research in higher education, aiming to involve practitioners in research in their own fields. At the end of the chapter, a taxonomy of engineering education research questions is proposed, based on efforts by the SEFI (European Society for Engineering Education) working group Engineering Education Research (EER) and the European project EUGENE.

Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning in Engineering Education

Introduction In the practice of engineering education, there is a wide variety of implementations of problem-based or project-based learning (PBL). In this chapter we aim to explain the relationships between different types of problem-based and project-based learning to help teachers and educational managers make innovative choices and provide benchmarks for educational researchers. We present a combined understanding of problem- and project-based learning, the theoretical and historical background, and the different models of PBL that can capture the existing practices, ranging from small- to large-scale practice, from classroom teaching to institutional models, and from single-subject to interdisciplinary and complex knowledge construction. It is well known that one-way dissemination of knowledge by means of lectures is not very effective in achieving learning (van der Vleuten, 1997). In higher education concepts such as “self-directed-learning,” “case-based learning,” “inquiry based learning,” “experiential learning,” “service learning,” “project-based service learning,” “active learning,” CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, and Operate), “project-based learning,” and “problem-based learning” were introduced in the decades after the Second World War. All these new learning concepts come under the umbrella of learner-centered or student-centered learning models. Problem-based and project-based learning, both known as PBL, originate from the reform universities, and the new educational models, established between 1965 and 1975. In problem-based learning, problems form the starting point for students’ learning emphasizing a self-directed learning process in teams. The educational model problem-based learning was introduced at curriculum scale at the medical faculty of McMaster University, Canada, followed by Maastricht University in the Netherlands and many others. Project-based learning shares the aspect of students working on problems in teams, but with the added component that they have to submit a project report completed collaboratively by the project team. The problem- and project-based/project organized model adopted at Aalborg University and Roskilde University, Denmark, was inspired by the critical pedagogy in Europe after the student revolts of the 1960s. At Aalborg University both models of PBL were eventually combined in problem-based project organized learning, which was practiced at all faculties – the Faculty of Engineering and Science being the largest. This combined approach is the central point of reference for this chapter, as the pedagogical development in engineering education indicates that both educational practices are successful in their own way and the abbreviation PBL is here defined as including both practices.

Global network and global centre for problem based learning

New skills are required of engineering graduates to meet the needs from industry and society - team working, communication, project management, cross-cultural skills etc. in addition to engineering professional skills. These requirements are met implicitly via the problem based learning concept. Aalborg University has proven to hold a strong position in problem-based learning (PBL) and, an increasing number of universities and engineering schools worldwide are seeking consultancy and co-operation with Aalborg University. On that background the Global UICEE Centre for problem-based learning (UCPBL) is established. This paper describes the UCPBL profile and plan of action. The activities include consultancy for university organisations that are changing from a traditional educational concept to PBL concept, staff development on organisational level, educational level and pedagogical level, a PBL master programme and short courses. We are involved in (re)-organising universities in developing countries and focus on capacity building. Continuing professional development is also a natural task of the centre as one of more aspects of university-industry cooperation. In the paper and presentation we also mention the global aspect of our work and the establishment of the global network on problem based learning and how to be involved in this.