Guidelines for Students

In PODBL, students learn engineering design using projects through self-directed learning and learning by doing. Figure 1 shows the PODBL framework guidelines for students. The guidelines below show how students will involve in a PODBL environment to enhance their learning outcomes. Learning begins with first year design training projects (1-4 weeks in each trimester), which educates students about engineering principles, fundamentals and the learning design process. Staff act as facilitators, which builds student capabilities to identify problems and solve the problem through analytical thinking.

Figure 1: Students - PODBL framework guidelines

Second year design engineering projects (1-6 weeks) are more challenging, where students need to interact with their environment to observe real world problems and the needs of society. Students have to realize that actual design problem exists in every aspect of their daily life. Advanced design projects in the third year of engineering help students to work on projects across multi-discipline boundaries to acquire interdisciplinary knowledge, communication, and teamwork skills. In fourth year, the professional engineering projects are capstone projects from academia and industry collaboration.

4.1.1 Students Role in PODBL

All engineering curriculum has the responsibility of educating students in their engineering disciplines. Students have realised their need for the quality of learning and teaching. In each learning process, a student learns at their own pace and in their own learning style to achieve educational objectives. Through a chosen

learning career path, students obtain a great opportunity to gain self-knowledge that helps them attain their full potential. The role of students in the Project Oriented Design Based Learning approach is as follows:

 Ability to observe and react in a professional environment (self-directed).

 Identify and solve problems with interactive knowledge.

 Getting involved with the practical application of knowledge.

 Being creative and innovative in solving design problems.

 Be aware of industry graduate expectations and be career focused.

 Seek support and guidance from staff members.

 Contribute engineering knowledge to the needs of society.

 Adapt to new values, customs, and learning styles in a working environment.

On-going personal and professional development helps students sustain life-long learning skills such as critical thinking, self-directed learning, interpersonal skills, self-confidence, creativity and innovation.

4.1.2 Learning through Projects in PODBL

Students are required to conduct research, demonstrate critical thinking and document sound analysis and judgment to support project decision-making. Students’ define and scope their project, apply technical knowledge, assess safety and risks, prepare a feasible plan and schedule the implementation of the project in the project implementation phase. Students are required to work and learn autonomously, prepare and adhere to work and reporting schedules, communicate progress, and prepare reports and presentations. Projects provide useful evidence for prospective employers regarding competence in areas of mutual interest. The PODBL process consists of the following projects in undergraduate engineering:

 Design training projects – 1st year

 Design engineering projects – 2nd year

 Advanced design projects – 3rd year

 Professional engineering projects – final year

Learning through projects has a positive effect on student content knowledge and the development of skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving which increases motivation and engagement. It is challenging for teachers finding hard to implement the system, to integrate technology into projects in meaningful ways. When we look at the method of learning through projects, it benefits all stakeholders, such as students, industry, community, and the university involved. It provides a framework for embedding experiential and rich learning activities integrated with discipline based curriculum that improves employment and career outcomes. The benefits of Project Oriented Design Based Learning includes enhancing students' participation in the learning process (active learning and self-learning), enhancing communication skills, addressing a wider set of learning styles, and promotion of critical and proactive thinking.

4.1.3 Graduate Ready Skills – Contemporary Needs

The Industry is looking for graduates who are ready to practice and perform essential competences such as practical knowledge, problem solving, teamwork, and innovative and creative designing of real-world projects (Deakin, 2012). In addition, both educators and industry representatives stated that students lack motivation in most cases due to the learning and teaching style they are exposed to. Thus, academics must focus on teaching engineering design practically. Staff should undergo practice rather than theory in the classroom. In learning and teaching institutions, practicing design is one of the fundamental processes and activities in engineering and all other engineering activities are related to it. From industry’s point of view, the following key skills are essential elements required for a successful Project Oriented Design Based Learning curriculum. These include creative & innovative skills, successful industry engagement, and awareness of design skills in the early years of engineering. A summary of findings from a qualitative analysis of an industry-academia design discussion forum shows a need for action on the skills such as creative & innovative, industry engagement, global perspective skills and awareness, internationalisation, connection between design and innovation, design awareness and communication & Project management skills.

By engaging industry with the academy, students will acquire global perspectives about the core attributes expected in future engineering jobs. In today’s large-scale industry market, companies tend to prefer graduates with design skills attained through a project approach. The students realised the importance if communication and management skills in engineering practice. Thus, universities should open their doors and accept the challenges of involving students with industry experiences and expectations.