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Enhancing active student learning through curriculum redesign and assessment : a case study of project-based approach in engineering design
Author
Tan, Ooi Kiang
Supervisor
Chen, Ai Yen
Abstract
This reports presents on the project carried out to enhance active student learning through curriculum redesign and assessment on the engineering design module taught in the third year of the four-year engineering degree programme at the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University.
The students felt that this design module was not useful to them and they did not know where they can apply the learnt principles and methodologies in the microelectronics industry. They also did not know what types of engineers use them. A class-wide survey (Ramsden & Dodds evaluation approach) was first conducted. It was discovered that the students were not clear about the objective and expectation of the module. The findings also confirmed that they do not have the confidence in doing design project using the approach taught.
The problems are analysed by first reflecting on the current instructional strategies and analysing the curriculum content of the design module with regards to student learning. Some redesigns are then made to the curriculum using the project-based approach for the teaching of the entire design module. Using the Buttressed Building Model for active learning as the base, some modifications are made to reflect on the hierarchical learning that accumulates to the achieving of the design module objectives. The focus is on the goals and objectives of the course, the social context, and on the use of the Instructional Systems Development (ISD) process based on R. Gagne's Theory on conditions of learning to enhance active student learning. It is also felt that the current situation renders the part of assessment on the student understanding during lessons very difficult if not impossible. Therefore, the multiple-choice question (MCQ) test is also incorporated in assessing student learning in this project.
A class-wide questionnaire survey is designed and conducted to evaluate the impact of the changes that are included in the instructional strategies for the lecture part of the design module on student learning. The survey findings show clearly that students do prefer the teaching strategies that promote active learning in lecture. The project-based approach with an eclectic and interactive teaching method was implemented for four of the tutorial groups. In order to evaluate the impact of the changes on the student learning, a control group which consists of another four tutorial groups was incorporated. This second group was subjected to the current practice without the changes made. All the students in the two groups sat for the same MCQ test. Evidence presented suggests that student learning can be improved through redesign in the curriculum and assessment with a project-based approach in the teaching of engineering design module.
The students felt that this design module was not useful to them and they did not know where they can apply the learnt principles and methodologies in the microelectronics industry. They also did not know what types of engineers use them. A class-wide survey (Ramsden & Dodds evaluation approach) was first conducted. It was discovered that the students were not clear about the objective and expectation of the module. The findings also confirmed that they do not have the confidence in doing design project using the approach taught.
The problems are analysed by first reflecting on the current instructional strategies and analysing the curriculum content of the design module with regards to student learning. Some redesigns are then made to the curriculum using the project-based approach for the teaching of the entire design module. Using the Buttressed Building Model for active learning as the base, some modifications are made to reflect on the hierarchical learning that accumulates to the achieving of the design module objectives. The focus is on the goals and objectives of the course, the social context, and on the use of the Instructional Systems Development (ISD) process based on R. Gagne's Theory on conditions of learning to enhance active student learning. It is also felt that the current situation renders the part of assessment on the student understanding during lessons very difficult if not impossible. Therefore, the multiple-choice question (MCQ) test is also incorporated in assessing student learning in this project.
A class-wide questionnaire survey is designed and conducted to evaluate the impact of the changes that are included in the instructional strategies for the lecture part of the design module on student learning. The survey findings show clearly that students do prefer the teaching strategies that promote active learning in lecture. The project-based approach with an eclectic and interactive teaching method was implemented for four of the tutorial groups. In order to evaluate the impact of the changes on the student learning, a control group which consists of another four tutorial groups was incorporated. This second group was subjected to the current practice without the changes made. All the students in the two groups sat for the same MCQ test. Evidence presented suggests that student learning can be improved through redesign in the curriculum and assessment with a project-based approach in the teaching of engineering design module.
Date Issued
1994
Call Number
T65.3 Tan
Date Submitted
1994