Project Based Learning in Tthe Busy Engineering Course: Can It Work? A Case Study
Abstract
The session focuses on: (1) Designing rich PBL modules that benefit busy, lecture-based courses and (2) Designing robust SoTL studies to confirm that implementation of these modules need not sacrifice traditional learning objectives. The author developed a hands-on project for an engineering statics course at the California Maritime Academy that provided many wide-ranging benefits of PBL and prepared them for standardized engineering examinations. The author hypothesized that students who participated in PBL could perform as well or better on a mechanical analysis problem administered during the final examination than students who did not. Data is presented that compares student performance between those who did and did not complete the hands-on project. There was no statistically significant difference in performance between the two groups, suggesting that PBL was successfully integrated into a lecture-based engineering course with no sacrifice to course objectives. The session will be useful for those instructors interested in implementing PBL in large lecture courses, and those who want to begin using SoTL to validate or advance their existing PBL innovations.
Location
Room 2908
Recommended Citation
Fischer, Jonathan, "Project Based Learning in Tthe Busy Engineering Course: Can It Work? A Case Study " (2012). SoTL Commons Conference. 83.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2012/83
Project Based Learning in Tthe Busy Engineering Course: Can It Work? A Case Study
Room 2908
The session focuses on: (1) Designing rich PBL modules that benefit busy, lecture-based courses and (2) Designing robust SoTL studies to confirm that implementation of these modules need not sacrifice traditional learning objectives. The author developed a hands-on project for an engineering statics course at the California Maritime Academy that provided many wide-ranging benefits of PBL and prepared them for standardized engineering examinations. The author hypothesized that students who participated in PBL could perform as well or better on a mechanical analysis problem administered during the final examination than students who did not. Data is presented that compares student performance between those who did and did not complete the hands-on project. There was no statistically significant difference in performance between the two groups, suggesting that PBL was successfully integrated into a lecture-based engineering course with no sacrifice to course objectives. The session will be useful for those instructors interested in implementing PBL in large lecture courses, and those who want to begin using SoTL to validate or advance their existing PBL innovations.
