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Introducing problem-based learning in a machine design curriculum: result of an experiment

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Raucent, Benoît [UCL]

As a result of the increase in knowledge, it has becoming practically impossible for students to learn all that they need before being able to design a machine. Furthermore, these days, the acquisition of skills is becoming quite as important as the acquisition of knowledge. As a consequence, we decided to modify the curriculum of Machine Design from classical lectures to a problem-based learning approach, based on the principle that new knowledge is acquired by building on previous knowledge (not by simple transmission) and that learning works best in communities of learners. Our approach may be summed up as learning by doing in small groups. This paper presents the experiment carried out over the past two academic years. It also discusses the advantages and the drawbacks of the new approach and gives some guidelines on implementing the approach correctly.

Document type Article de périodique (Journal article) – Article de recherche
Publication date 2001
Language Anglais
Journal information "Journal of Engineering Design" - Vol. 12, no. 4, p. 293-308 (2001)
Peer reviewed yes
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd (Abingdon)
issn 0954-4828
e-issn 1466-1837
Affiliation UCL - FSA/MECA - Département de mécanique
Links
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Bibliographic reference Raucent, Benoît. Introducing problem-based learning in a machine design curriculum: result of an experiment. In: Journal of Engineering Design, Vol. 12, no. 4, p. 293-308 (2001)
Permanent URL http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/42198