Problem-Based Learning in

Engineering Education

Teoh Kok-Soo
December 8, 2005. Monash Clayton
December 9, 2005. Monash Gippsland

A campus of Monash University www.monash.edu.my

Introduction

• Modern engineering activities

– conducted in multi-disciplinary & team
settings
– high interaction among team members

• Engineers need to acquire early both

technical knowledge & non-technical skills

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Introduction

• In the global competitive environment, many

organisations do not

– invest sufficient time & resources to

provide full training program for new
recruits
– wait for the much-needed skills to be
developed on the job

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Introduction

• Studies from USA*, Canada^ and Germany

showed that: employers of engineering
graduates are looking for candidates that
possess engineering knowledge and
essential engineering and soft skills.
9 communications skills 9 interpersonal skills
9 problem solving skills 9 leadership skills
9 teamwork skills 9 conceptual skills

*Report on surveys of opinion of engineering deans and employers of engineering graduates

on the first professional degree. NSPE (1992). ^Canada (1997), Germany (1995)

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Introduction

• However, these essential soft skills are still

lacking among engineering graduates

• Engineering curriculum lacks soft skills

development

• Students lack
– practical experiences while in university
– exposure to industrial work and needs
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Engineering Profession

• A subject unit in 1st year engineering program

• Developed to overcome two perceived

problems of new engineering students
(a) lack of understanding of what engineers
actually do, and
(b) lack of understanding of the environment in
which engineers work and interact with
the community

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Engineering Profession

• Introduces a wide range of engineering

disciplines
• Focuses on the role and needs of the
engineer in today’s and tomorrow’s world
• Common Level 1 elective unit
• 6 credits points, 13 weeks
• Offer in both semesters in Malaysian campus

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Unit Objective

• To develop student’s understanding of the

scope of engineering, including emphasis on
its breadth, interactions and linkages with
other disciplines

• Uses problem-based learning (PBL) to

introduce engineering to students

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Unit Delivery

• In Malaysian campus, actual industrial

engineering problems/projects and project
tendering process are used to demonstrate,

a) the scope of engineering

b) client-tenderer relationships
c) inter-disciplines nature of engineering work
d) professional decision-making process

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Unit Content & Assessment

• Lectures, tutorials, workshops

• Problem/project, group work
• Project discussion sessions
• Project site visit
• Guest lecture by industry expert/partner
• Assessment
– Project 70% (continuous assessment)
– Final Exam. 30%
• Competition - Best Design Awards

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Lecture Topics

• System approach
• Engineering Economics, Management
• Project Tender & Process
• Product Life Cycle Assessment
• Sustainable Development
• Quality, Safety Analysis
• Technical Drawing, CAD, 3D modeling
• Communication Skills
• Professional Ethics
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• Project & people management concepts and
communications skills are developed through
– group work and activities
– interviewing & oral presentations
– project progress reports

• Self-directed learning are promoted through

group work in problem-based learning

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Project group and activities

• Group of 4 with mixed gender and nationality

• Work through the industrial project in 4

phases, taking on different roles

• Students act as the client then as tenderer in

a simulated engineering project tender
process

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

• Phase 1: Project Brief

– Act as Client
– Guest lecture by industry partner/consultant
– Poster presentation
– Project specifications report
– Letter of invitation to project tender
– Project Briefing presentation
– Lectures: System Approach, Group Work,
Management, Communication Techniques

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

Emphasis in Phase 1:
(a) students’ understanding of the specific problems
and identify real needs of the project given
(b) appreciation of the principles of system approach
(c) identification of project boundary, constraints,
systems, components, and their interaction
(d) importance of group work, project and people
management in engineering practices

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

• Phase 2: Two Alternative Designs

– Act as a potential tenderer
– Develop 2 conceptual designs
– Site visit with industry experts’ inputs
– Information sourcing, drawings & sketching,
oral & written presentations
– Lectures: Technical Sketching, 3D Modeling,
Project Tender, Economics, Library Skills

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

Emphasis in Phase 2:
(a) students’ ability in searching information from
various sources including the use of library & the
internet
(b) multiples solutions to a given problem
(c) ability to meet project specifications, in problem
solving, and to develop creative & innovative
solutions
(d) ability to translate ideas and solutions into
drawings & sketches, and to express them in
written reports

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

• Phase 3: Preferred Solution

– Act as a potential tenderer
– Develop an assessment scheme for the
selection process, with indication of criteria
used, reasons for chosen criteria
– Evaluate designs, select a preferred solution
with justifications
– Lectures: Life Cycle Assessment, Safety,
Sustainability

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

Emphasis in Phase 3:
(a) students’ approaches and their abilities in
developing a transparent and objective
evaluation process
(b) ability to evaluate designs based on key criteria
which reflects the real world needs
(c) the importance of professional ethics whilst
working for a client
(d) professional decision-making process

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

• Phase 4: Final Solution

– Act as a short-listed tenderer
– Propose final solutions with consideration of
major issues; quality, sustainability, safety,
payback period, environmental impact
– Group presentations
– Group interviewing session
– Lectures: Professional Ethics, Quality

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4 Phases of Assigned Project

Emphasis in Phase 4:
(a) approaches in proposed solutions
(b) ability in technical writing
(c) group oral presentation skills
(d) interviewing skills
(e) students’ appreciation on how knowledge is
applied in practice

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Students exposure to industrial projects

• The use of industrial projects with inputs from

industry partners assists student-learning by,
– demonstrating the inter-disciplines nature of
engineering works,
– enhancing the realism in engineering
environment and activities in the course, and
– providing a good exposure to students to
actual industrial work and needs.

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Students exposure to industrial projects

• Past industrial projects

– Extension of a private medical center
– A modern petrol station
– Renovation of Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
– New Campus of Monash University Malaysia
– Double tracking railway lines from Rawang to Ipoh
– Tambun’s Lost World Theme Park
– Kuala Lumpur Convention Center

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Project – Double Tracking Railway Line

Double Tracking
Railway Line
Start Date: Jan 2000
Completion: Dec 2004
Scope of work
Design & construction of
double-tracking a 178 km
of railway line, from
Rawang to Ipoh
- 8 new stations
- 1 freight depot
- 78 railway bridges
- 20 road over rail bridges
- 300 culverts
Cost: RM2.6 billions
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Project – Lost World Theme Park

Tambun’s Lost World

Theme Park
Design and construction
of a theme park in
Tambun on a 14.6 ha
land
Scope of work
- 600m man-made river
- Artificial waterfalls &
lakes
- Restaurants & café
- Water rides
- Tube slides
Cost: RM 60 millions

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Project – Lost World Theme Park

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Project – Renovation of K.L. Bird park

K.L. Bird Park

World largest covered
walk-in free flight aviary
20.9 acres valley terrain
3000 birds
130 species

Scope of work
- Waterfalls
- Restaurants
- Permanent Cages
- Open-air café

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Project – Renovation of K.L. Bird park

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Project – Renovation of K.L. Bird Park

Layout plan of an Open Air Café

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Project Assessment

• Individual assignments
• Group reports
• Individual oral presentations
• Group oral presentations
• Project logbook
• Peer assessment – 70:30
• Competition – group presentation
• Panel of assessors

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Discussion

• Problems
– Big challenge to 1st year students
– New learning method
– Learning curve is steep
– Culture & language diversities, group conflicts
– Project assessment
– Heavy workload for students & staff
– Suitable project with industry supports

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Discussion

• Outcomes of PBL using industrial projects

– Gain an appreciation of specific industry business
and their operations
– Gain an understanding of the needs of the
client/tenderer, the community, the environments
– Gain an understanding of the scope of inter-
disciplinary engineering activities, group works &
professional ethics
– Develop knowledge of professional engineering
skills and essential soft skills

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Discussion

Has this been a good teaching and learning

experience for engineering education?

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Feedbacks from students

“This unit has given me a glimpse of the working

world, what a professional engineer would be required
to do, and I truly appreciate all that it has taught me”
Tan W.Y. (Local)

“ … now I feel every thing is easy if only you know how

to organise your mind’s plan” Zohreh Mohammadi (Int)

“It introduces a whole new learning experience, which

enables one to exercise skills and knowledge with
hands-on experience” Ng A.S. (Local)

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Feedbacks from students

“Initially I found this lecturing concept very new and

strange to me. I thought I had made a wrong choice and
would regret for the whole semester. I was wrong! The
teaching approach is very interesting and I learnt a lot. It
has thought me to think in a different perspective”
Hu Sxe Yi (Int)

“What I have learned in the last 13 weeks was not

something that I could have found in a book. It was an
experience to remember.The unit has brought out the best
in me and I realise just what I was really capable of.”
Nicksham Cooray (Int)

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Feedbacks from industry partner

In her speech, Dr. Chong SuLin, CEO of Sunway Medical

Center praised the finalists for their excellent presentation, the
quality of work that went into the designs and their attention to
details.
“I didn’t expect the students to come up with such
high-quality work and excellent presentation. The
inputs we gained from this presentation will be
valuable in helping us design the new extension
building for the hospital next year. Some of the ideas
presented by the students will be included in our
brainstorming session when finalising the design for
the hospital’s extension project.”

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Conclusion

• PBL using industrial project is an effective

learning method for engineering students
• Improved students’ attitudes & motivation to
study engineering
• Overcome problems
– Good preparation and project
– Classroom management
– Manage group dynamics
– Understand differences in students’ backgrounds
– Good facilitator and counselor

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Problem-Based Learning in Engineering
Education

Thank you
Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.
John Dewey (1859-1952)
American Philosophy, Psychologist, Reformed Educationist

Dr Teoh Kok-Soo
School of Engineering
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