Iron Range Engineering-Minnesota State University, Mankato

Iron Range Engineering

Number of engineering students learning in PBL: 50

Virginia, Minnesota, USA

http://ire.minnstate.edu

Christine Kennedy

Director

How would you describe your PBL?

project-based

What is most important to your PBL?

How is PBL implemented?

central to all learning

How do students acquire principles of discipline?

Technical learning is designed to integrate with the project. Near the beginning of the project, students acquire fundamental knowledge. As the project progresses, students acquire more advanced knowledge that is necessary to complete the project. Students acquire technical knowledge in “learning conversations” rather than in lectures. Students perform the first acquisition of knowledge prior to the learning conversation with their instructor and peers. They do this through watching short (Khan-Academy style) videos prepared by their instructor or through reading assignments. Then in the class session, through a question and answer session, conversation is held to assist the student develop her own conceptual model of the engineering principles.

How is student learning facilitated within PBL?

Academic staff consists of a core of academicians supported by a network of professional engineers. This integration of professors and experienced engineers provides a synergy whereby the professors gain an appreciation for the needs of engineering practice, and the engineering professionals gain skills in understanding pedagogy, motivation, and learn to give valuable formative feedback. Each semester, the professors facilitate approximately half of the student teams and the engineering professionals facilitate the other half. Occasionally, final semester students will take the role of facilitator. The professors provide approximately 90% of the learning guidance in the technical domain with adjunct engineers providing the other 10%. The facilitation of professional learning happens at many levels. First, the culture of the program is one of open feedback. Therefore, all members of the community are encouraged to provide guidance to one another in professional action. Second, the project facilitator takes an active role in monitoring the professional action and development of each team member. Third, clients are encouraged to provide developmental feedback on professionalism. Finally, the team members themselves take ownership in providing feedback to one another.

Publications

Johnson, B., & Ulseth, R. 2014. “Professional Competency Attainment in a Project Based Learning Cu

Ulseth, R. R., Froyd, J. E., Litzinger, T. A., Ewert, D., & Johnson. B. M. 2011. “A new model of e

A. Guerra, R. Ulseth, and A. Kolmos, PBL in Engineering Education: International Perspectives on Cur

R. Ulseth, “Self-Directed Learning in PBL.,” Aalborg University, 2016.