Project-based Learning in Engineering Design Education: Sharing Best Practices
Project-based Learning in Engineering Design Education: Sharing Best Practices
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工程设计教育中的项目式学习：分享最佳实践
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发表时间：
2014
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通讯作者：
A. Shekar
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作者：
A. Shekar
越来越多的证据表明，有必要让工科学生为未来的世界做好准备，在未来的世界里，他们将作为专业人士进行实践。过分强调理论的教育实践已经过时了，因为对学生来说，不仅要获得工程知识，还要学习如何成为一名工程师。因此，教学方法的转变对于培养学生解决全球复杂问题至关重要。为了让学生以工程师的身份进行实践，他们需要接触到一些提供现实世界问题的项目，以及影响这些问题的因素的复杂性和不确定性。学生需要学习如何构建问题，识别利益相关者及其需求，设计和选择概念，测试它们等等。当在项目中遇到实际问题和实践活动时，学习应用理论原理会更好。这种基于项目的学习形式要求教师和学生之间建立一种不同的互动模式，本文对此进行了解释。在基于项目的学习中，教师在工程设计过程中促进和指导学生，而学生则在团队环境中积极参与研究和解决问题的活动。本文提出的方法是新西兰梅西大学工程课程新设计的一部分。本文将分享实现的一些挑战和最佳实践。工程教育的研究和新趋势清楚地强调了理论的实际应用、创造力和创新作为解决问题所需的关键技能的重要性。在过去的十年里，世界发生了迅速的变化，全球化、技术进步、互联互通和信息获取等重大变化影响了当代和未来几代学生的学习方式。教育工作者发现将新材料及时地融入到完整的课程中是一项挑战。长期以来，工程教育的重点主要集中在学科知识上，但最近有了明显的转变，包括更多的设计思维和专业的实践元素，正如专业行业机构所强调的那样。与行业专业人士的互动表明，他们要求工程专业毕业生能够批判性地思考，分析问题，创造创新的解决方案和有效的沟通。新西兰专业工程师协会（IPENZ）表示：“我们需要的是‘全面’的专业工程毕业生，而不仅仅是技术专家——现有的许多毕业生没有很强的‘软’技能。”进入工业界的毕业生所掌握的技术知识在很大程度上是理论性的，工业界需要投入大量资金，以缩小教授的原理与工业中使用的规范化知识之间的知识差距。”美国工程技术认证委员会（ABET）表示：“学生应该培养分析、综合和评估的高阶思维技能。”学生们感到有时他们没有看到他们所教的与现实生活实践的相关性。因此，有必要改变21世纪学生的教育方式，并为他们未来的专业工作做好准备。基于项目的学习（PBL）是解决这些挑战和需求的一种成功方法。基于项目的学习是一种综合性的教学方法，旨在让学生参与对真实问题的调查。学生成为积极的学习者并参与实践活动，而讲师则在学生的项目工作中提供指导。因此，PBL的学习和教学方法要求学生和教师都有新的思维方式和角色的转变。作者和她的同事发现，这种方法提高了学生的积极性，并允许他们在一个互动的环境中应用他们的理论知识，在那里他们相互讨论概念，也与工作人员讨论概念。学生们学会研究和清楚地定义问题，探索多个解决方案的解决方案空间，并学会迭代和改进他们的设计，以达到符合目标的适当解决方案。学生们逐步学习解决问题的关键技能，从简单的应用开始，到更复杂的问题解决。基于对文献的回顾、项目教学的经验以及雇主、员工和学生的反馈，在以下部分中提出了一些具体建议。本文中概述的项目选择的最佳实践和标准与许多工程学科相关，并且可以应用于课程中的大多数科目。梅西大学在产品开发工程学位课程中开设基于项目的学习（PBL）课程已经有好几年了，最近又将这种方法扩展到包括电子与计算、机电一体化、化学工程和食品技术等工程学科。这些学科的工程学士课程经过重新设计，从第一年开始包括四年（八个学期）的PBL课程（图1）。图1中的PBL课程形成了左侧的“项目脊柱”栏，并与学科的基础和技术知识相结合。新工程学士学位每年（每学期一门）开设两门PBL课程，每门课程15学分。每个PBL课程为期14周，每周至少有6小时的接触时间。PBL课程与基础知识课程相结合，每年所有课程的工作人员聚在一起规划和讨论项目和评估时间表。图1：重新设计的工程课程pge 24016.4每个PBL课程的中心焦点是一个基于主题的项目，例如全球视角、创造性未来解决方案、消费产品设计和制造（表1）。通过无国界工程师组织（EWB），国际项目被纳入一年级工程专业学生的全球视野课程。这些项目让学生接触到设计过程、问题定义、上下文理解和系统思维方法。学生学习团队合作，计划和执行项目中需要的不同任务。他们开始了解自己和队友的优势和技能。学生应该从各种来源获取信息，并能够过滤和总结相关的点。他们还需要以口头、视觉和书面的形式与不同的受众进行交流。表1：项目式课程与范例项目式课程-工程实践学期项目主题项目范例第一学期全球视野越南村庄太阳能炊具；东帝汶小屋的可持续屋顶；尼泊尔的水过滤系统。第二学期创意解决方案-未来焦点未来厨房；2070年的未来交通概念。第三学期轮椅配件产品开发设计；老年人医用分配器；新的早餐麦片和包装。第四学期产品制造制造一台绕线机。例如，第一个项目（全球视角）旨在向学生介绍全球背景下的工程。特别强调的是：理解和应用基本设计过程的文化，道德，经济和社会需求的意识个人和专业特点-批判性和创造性思维
There is growing evidence of the need to prepare engineering students for the future world in which they will practice as professionals. Educational practices that over-emphasise theory alone are outdated, as it is important for students to not only gain knowledge about engineering, but also to learn how to be an engineer. Hence a transformation in teaching and learning approaches is essential to prepare students to solve complex problems in a global world. In order for students to practice as engineers, they need to have had exposure to a number of projects that offer real-world problems, along with the complexity and uncertainty of factors that influence such problems. Students need to learn how to frame a problem, identify stakeholders and their requirements, design and select concepts, test them, and so on. Learning to apply theoretical principles is much better done when given real problems and hands-on activities in projects. This form of project-based learning calls for a different mode of interaction between staff and students, and is explained in this paper. In project-based learning, teachers facilitate and guide students through the engineering design process, while students actively engage in research and problem solving activities within a team setting. The approach presented here is part of the new re-design of the engineering curriculum at Massey University in New Zealand. Some of the challenges of implementation, and best practices, are shared in this paper. The need for a new approach Research and new trends in engineering education clearly emphasise the importance of practical application of theory, creativity and innovation as key skills required for problem solving. The world has changed rapidly in the last decade and major changes such as globalisation, technological advances, inter-connectedness, and accessibility to information influence the way current and future generations of students learn. Educators are finding it challenging to fit in new material into a full curriculum in a timely manner. For a long time the focus in engineering education was mainly on disciplinary knowledge only, but recently there has been a significant shift in focus to include more design thinking and professional P ge 24016.2 practice elements, as highlighted by professional industry bodies. Interaction with industry professionals indicates that they require engineering graduates to be able to think critically, analyse problems, create innovative solutions and communicate effectively. The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) have stated that “There is a need for professional engineering graduates who are “rounded” and not just technical boffins -many of the existing graduates do not have strong “soft” skills. Graduates entering industry have technical knowledge that is largely theoretical, and industry needs to invest considerably to close off the knowledge gap between principles as taught and codified knowledge as used in industry 1 .” The US Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) have said that-“students should develop higher order thinking skills of analyses, synthesis and evaluation 2 .” Students have felt that sometimes they do not see the relevance of what they are taught to real-life practice. Hence there is a need to transform the way 21 st century students are educated and prepared for their future professional work. Project-based learning (PBL) is a successful approach that addresses some of these challenges and needs. Project-based learning is a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning that is designed to engage students in the investigation of authentic problems. Students become active learners and participate in hands-on activities, while lecturers provide guidance to students during their project work. The PBL method of learning and teaching thus requires a new mindset and a change in role for both students and teachers. The author and her colleagues have found that this method increases student motivation, and allows them to apply their theoretical knowledge in an interactive environment, where they discuss concepts with each other and also with staff. Students learn to research and define the problem clearly, explore the solution space for more than a single solution, and learn to iterate and improve their designs to arrive at an appropriate solution that meets the objectives. Students learn the key skills of problem solving progressively, starting with simpler applications through to more complex problem solving. Based on a review of the literature, experience in project-based teaching, and feedback from employers, staff and students, a number of specific recommendations are made in the following sections. These best practices and criteria for project selection outlined in this paper are relevant to many engineering disciplines and can be applied to most subjects across the curriculum. P ge 24016.3 Introduction to Project-based learning Massey University has run project-based learning (PBL) courses in the product development engineering degree for several years, and has recently expanded this method to include the engineering disciplines of electronics and computing, mechatronics, chemical engineering and food technology. The Bachelor of Engineering curriculum in these disciplines has been re-designed to include PBL courses across the four years (eight semesters), starting from the first year (Figure 1). The PBL courses in Figure 1 form the ‘project spine’ column on the left, and are integrated with fundamental and technical knowledge of the disciplines. There are two PBL courses (15 credits each) in each year (one in each semester) of the new Bachelor of Engineering degrees. Each PBL course runs for fourteen weeks and has a minimum of six contact hours per week. The PBL courses are integrated with the fundamental knowledge courses, and staff from all the courses in each year get together to plan and discuss the projects and the assessment schedules. Figure 1: The new re-designed engineering curriculum P ge 24016.4 The central focus of each PBL course is a project based around a theme such as global perspectives, creative future solutions, consumer product design, and manufacturing (Table 1). International projects are included for first year engineering students as part of their Global Perspectives course, through the Engineers without Borders (EWB) organization. The projects expose students to the design process, problem definition, contextual understanding and systems thinking approaches. Students learn to work in teams, and to plan and carry out different tasks that are required during a project. They come to understand their own and their team-mates strengths and skills. Students are expected to draw information from a variety of sources and be able to filter and summarize the relevant points. They are also expected to communicate to different audiences in oral, visual and written forms. Table 1: Project-based courses and examples Project Based Courses – Engineering Practice Semester Project Theme Project Examples Semester 1 Global Perspectives Solar cooker for a Vietnamese village; sustainable roof for huts in East Timor; water filtration system for Nepal. Semester 2 Creative Solutions – Future Focus Futuristic kitchen; futuristic transportation concepts for year 2070. Semester 3 Product Development Design of a wheelchair accessory; medical pill dispenser for the elderly; new breakfast cereal and packaging. Semester 4 Product Manufacturing Manufacturing of a coil winding machine. For example, the first project (Global Perspectives) is designed to introduce students to engineering in a global context. Specific emphasis is on: Understanding and applying the basic design process Awareness of cultural, ethical, economic and social needs Personal and professional characteristics – critical and creative thinking