pbl for an engineering lab tim hall ece ul 1 pbl for an engineering lab tim hall

PBL for an Engineering Lab Tim Hall ECE UL

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PBL for an Engineering LabTim Hall


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What?

Why?

How?

Does it work?


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What?ECE BSc programmes have a 3rd semester module called “Outcome Based Learning Laboratory” it is conductedthrough traditionally structured PBL

Students are presented with a problem/task based on the kind of work they will do when they graduate

They are required to structure and manage their work professionally

We provide support for their work and learning (they are after all only in 2nd year)


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Students see the modules in the early years of a programme as boring and unconnected to their chosen career even though the material is essential foundation for specialist learning later

Choose a real-world problem/task that will excite the students’ interest so they will engage with their work and learning

Why?


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The UL modular system encourages “compartmentalisation”

Choose a problem/task that crosses module boundaries and draws on material they have already studied and material they are studying concurrently (and if it needs some material they have yet to study they can learn it for themselves)

Use continuous assessment not EOS exam

Why?


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Our students need time to gain additional electronics laboratory skills, this can only be done by doing it

Base the module in the lab not the lecture room

Why?


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Employers complain that our graduates lack “transferable skills”: team working, communication: verbal and written, problem solving, finding things out for oneself, coping with uncertainty…

Students work in teams and groupsAll assessments based on the natural outcomes of

solving the problem/task: design study, reports: informal and formal, presentations, demos…

“Lecturer” becomes “Customer”“Lecturer & technical staff” become “mentors”

Why?


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An Example:ET4244 OBLL for BSc Electronic and BSc

Mobile Communications and Security.Timetabled as a single 4 hour session each

week for one semester.A single problem/task “Measuring the

Weather”-an electronic weather station and accompanying website for the general public

How?


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Students work in teams of 2, in groups of 4 to 6 by putting teams together, and individually. The exact structure and management of their work is left to themselves.

The initial briefing spells out the end point, the instruments of assessment and the associated timetable.

The PBL methodology is discussed.To start them off an initial sub-task and weather

sensor exploration is specified (because they are only in 2nd year)

How?


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The initial sub-task is: What characteristics of the weather are measured, what are typical values for Ireland, what units and what range of values?

The initial sensor exploration asks teams to experiment on one or more electronic sensors from a pre-selected list (again because they are only in 2nd

year)A written report submitted in wk 2 forms the 1st

assessment, it is graded and formative feedback given, resubmission is allowed

How?


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Assessments:1: Initial: wk2 Background Report. 10%2. Interim: wk4 team/group Design Study

presentation. 5%wk8 team/group Demo work in progress 20%

3. Final: wk11/12 team/group Presentation & Demo 25%Individual Formal Report 40%

(includes section on self-assessment of contribution to team/group)

How?


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Support and MentoringA balance must be struck between the traditional

PBL approach of “set the problem and walk away” and providing too much help and structure.

The danger with these junior students is that they will get lost and give up, so timely intervention to set them back on track is essential.

Interventions must be sufficient but not too much.The assessment schedule forms a skeleton time

frame work for the students to work in.

How?


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Support and MentoringA Moodle site provides a single desktop for

module information, for submission of work, for communication and feedback, and keeps a gradebook. This relieves me of module admin and management so giving more time to observation and mentoring.

How?


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YESEnthusiasm and engagement: students turn up on

time for all sessions, e-mail apologies if they can’t make it, are reluctant to take coffee and meal breaks….

Grades are consistently higher than in traditional modules

Colleagues report improved lab and other skillsImproved retention of things learned in the module

is exhibited in follow on modules

Does it work?


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PBL for an Engineering Lab

What?

Why?

How?

Does it work?

pbl for an engineering lab tim hall ece ul 1 pbl for an engineering lab tim hall

Documents

engineering lab tim

pbl methodology

structured pbl students

ece bsc programmes

nd year slide

ul modular system

kind of work

uncertainty students