Application of Outcome-Based Education Framework for the "Design Workshop" Course in Emerging Engineering Education

Abstract

This Research to Practice Full Paper, implementing the outcome-based education (OBE) approach, introduces a new pedagogical framework in the "Design Workshop" course for undergraduate students, strengthening and improving student learning outcomes, and theoretical and practical abilities. "Emerging Engineering Education" (3E) requires a project-based learning method, transforming traditional knowledge-based education into an innovation-based education mode. However, lots of factors, such as project resources, sites, funds, cooperatives, and so on, limit the project-based learning of engineering majors (Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning, Landscape Architecture). Therefore, the establishment and improvement of the corresponding course system are essential. The "Design Workshop" course, offered by the School of Architecture at Tianjin University (TJU) takes specific projects as the carrier to integrate diverse knowledge, improve students' overall abilities, and offer a solution to the concerns mentioned above. The purpose of the article is to provide a framework for the "Design Workshop" courses, based on OBE. The course addresses the design and practice learning teaching method. The skills needed for graduation are determined based on industry demands. The task list and course teaching methods are adapted to the skills needed for graduation. The "Design Workshop" course is offered in the third year because the main prerequisite courses have already been completed, and the core competency refers to the most intensive knowledge and tasks, besides the students will have the flexibility to be engaged in the industry. The teaching experience emphasizes the importance of a multi-level course support mechanism and the systematic nature of each support component. It was found, that the educational system focuses on competency rather than the outcome, according to the abilities it can be. Students freely meet the actual project requirements and the specific design tasks as the standards, based on the design process and the final design outputs to derive the knowledge to be learned. The ability requirements and specific tasks determine the course system, giving rise to normative thinking. Taking everything into account, students can improve their abilities through "construction and building", "full life cycle support and management", "stakeholder coordination", and "activities and public occasions' preparation". Consequently, students will be more likely to adapt to the changing industry demands. Based on this, the establishment of the "Design Workshop" course framework provides an effective and new way to nurture emerging engineering undergraduate talents.