Scaffolding Strategies for Teaching Engineering Design in a Collaborative Project-Based Learning Environment

Abstract

Collaborative Project Based Learning (CPBL) is known for enhancing deep learning, professional skills development, student engagement and motivation, cultivating interdependence in learning, thinking, problem solving, and creating interest and excitement in learning. This article describes the impact of an engineering design course on first-year engineering students. Student performance was evaluated before and after taking the course using a pre-and-post design skill assessment test, peer feedback evaluations, and thematic analysis of each student's self-reflection of lessons learned. Initial analysis of the data indicates that a CPBL environment has a significantly positive impact on the development of engineering students' ability to describe the engineering design process and relate it directly to real-world problems. Students also realized the importance of communication, team work, investigation and project management skills.

Team Formation in Engineering Design Courses

“…[15] Although our findings contradict Takai & Esterman's model, we hypothesize that several factors unique to the course under study affected the students' work structure and, in turn, their team's performance. The course under study employs several scaffolding strategies [18] to ensure that students complete their project before the end of the course and that any issues or conflicts are resolved in a timely manner. These scaffolding strategies include providing students with training on communication and teamwork skills and conflict management, guiding students to follow a design methodology throughout the learning experience, assigning each team a project manager and teaching assistant who help the students with mentorship and with any problems they face during the semester, and removing barriers to learning and using new engineering tools by introducing students to technologies in a controlled environment.…”

Introducing and Sustaining Traditional Fabrication Methods in the Context of Teaching Prototyping for Engineering Design

“…While word of mouth has increased the number of students who have sought to actively improve their practical technical skills, this has not been enough to mobilize the entire student body. Therefore, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ottawa has sought to include the teaching of practical prototyping skills as part of its new first and second year interdisciplinary engineering design courses [7]. With access to the newly created Makerlab (adjacent to the openly accessible Makerspace), many students have come to understand the added difficulty inherent in the implementation of their designs.…”

“…Many have waited for the push from Engineers Canada and associated Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board to take serious action [9]. Recently, the University of Ottawa has made a tremendous effort to revamp engineering design throughout its engineering programs by creating common first and second year interdisciplinary project based design courses [7]. These are followed up with program specific engineering design courses in third and fourth year [10], as well as optional interdisciplinary engineering design courses available to senior students [8].…”