Enhanced and conventional project-based learning in an engineering design module

Abstract

Engineering education focuses chiefly on students’ ability to solve problems. While most engineering students are proficient in solving paper questions, they may not be proficient at providing optimal solutions to pragmatic project-based problems that require systematic learning strategy, innovation, problem-solving, and execution. The present study aims to determine whether an enhanced Project-based learning (PBL) with appropriate innovative interventions leads to increased students’ ability to achieve better learning and project outcomes. The interventions refer to incorporating added learning and facilitating methods, namely, (1) use of mind-maps; (2) employment of analogies; and (3) use of round-table discussions. The study was conducted with a total number of 60 first-time PBL students equally divided into two classes with one serving as an experimental class and another as a control class. In addition, one class of students had a lower academic standing compared to the other (control). The rubric for the project-based module included a written knowledge test and a scenario-based oral examination to test knowledge and problem-solving skills, a artefact demonstration to evaluate artefact’s performance. A major finding of this study was that there were significant differences in knowledge scores, problem-solving ability and artefact performance between students undergoing conventional and enhanced PBL methods. It could also be inferred from this study that students who had undergone enhanced PBL method designed better systems and had better performing artefacts than those who were subjected to the conventional PBL approach. Finally, it was concluded that incorporating enhanced learning and facilitating methods to group-centric, project-based driven education provided a more fertile environment to promote better learning experience and improved problem-solving ability which could eventually lead to developing innovative and pragmatic solutions to real-world engineering problems.