1. Problem based Learning in Engineering and Science – Development of Supervisor
A PhD Course given by:
Anette Kolmos
Department of development and planning
Fibigerstraede 11, DK Aalborg East
Phone: ,
Xiangyun Du
Phone: ,
Lars Peter Jensen
Department of Control Engineering
Fredrik Bajers Vej 7C, DK Aalborg East
Phone: ,
URL:
Professor, Assistant and Associated Professor at Aalborg University
Tell about each bullit by reading up the content from the program

2. Monday, the 6th of October 2008: PBL and The Aalborg model
       
  9.00      Welcome by lecturer Xiangyun Du and Lars Peter Jensen            Introduction and presentation of lecturer and participants.            Discussion of participants expectations (reflection-for-action).            Introduction to the program.
10.00      Coffee
10.30      PBL as educational model and Practice at Aalborg University
12.00      Lunch
12.45      PBL as a diverse educational model in other parts of the world
13.30      Intercultural Communication in a PBL environment
16.00      End of day one

3. Thuesday, the 6th of october 2008: Supervision and assessment
9.00         Introduction to role play 
9.15         Exercise: Role play of a supervising situation
10.00       Coffee
10.20       Exercise continued
12.00       Lunch
13.00       Supervision, what to do and how
14.15       Coffee
14.30       Assessment/Examination of projects, why and how
16.00       End of day two

4. Wednesday, the 8th of October: Preparing peer group experiments
Until the last day of the course the participants are helping each other/sharing experience in Peer Groups making an experiment with supervision.
9.00   Forming peer groups
9.30 In Peer groups: Planning of observation of a meeting between supervisor and student group
11.00 Unanswered questions
11.30 Evaluation/reflection of the course, ideas for improvements
12.00 End of first part of day 3.

5. Aalborg Practice

6. Theoretical base - Experiential learning
Set up experiments
Discuss and start it up
Theories and ideas
Lecture
Reflection
Facilitate
Development of
Experience
Participation
- Kolb’s learning cycle 1984

7. PBL Aalborg Model: Principles of Project-organized problem-solving Learning
‘The Aalborg Experiment – project innovation in university education’ - Kjaersdam & Enemark (1994)

8. PBL Aalborg Model - practice
Problems – question – wondering within a frame
a project each semester (1. year)
each group has a group room
group size of 6-8 students first year, 2-3 students the last year
each group has at least one supervisor
self selected group and projects within themes and disciplines
group examination
Lectures
8:15-10:00
Lecture-related
Assignment 10:15-12:00
Supervision
-initiated & arranged by students
Doing project
In groups

9. PBL AALBORG MODEL Study courses and Lectures – max. 7,5 ECTS
Project – min. 15 ECTS
Project courses
lectures seminar
min. 7,5 ECTS
Study courses and
Lectures – max. 7,5 ECTS
Examination
33%- 50%
50% - 67%

10. Support to student learning – courses and project
Non project supporting courses 25 %
Teaching of basic knowledge.
Not specifically related to the project.
Taught as traditional courses or by other techniques.
Traditional examination. Written or oral.
Individual examination. Written or oral.

11. Support to student learning – courses and project
Project supporting courses 25 %
Courses which specifically support the project.
e.g. economics, environment, planning, sociological methods, specific technical issues, group behavior, and group psychology, working environment, etc.
Can be traditional courses, case studies, etc.
Examination held as part of the project.

12. Development of different Competences through the study
Method
Semester
Collaborationmethod/ Method of project work/learning
Discipline learning
Metods used in industry and institutions
Scientific method
1 - 2
3 - 6
7 - 8
9 - 10

13. Team work What ? A group of students working together on a project
They have to both carry out the project and document the results
Based on the documentation an oral group examination is held, but the marks are individual

14. Multiple learning resources
Social
activities
Exam
Report writing
Studying engineering via group projects
Group
meeting
Life
Multiple learning resources
Brainstorm
Participating communities of practice – active learning, communication, organization, and management
Presentation
Subgroup
work
Compromise
Disagreement
Discussion

15. Team work
Why ?
A survey in 1997 showed that 75% of the companies wanted new employees to have good skills in team work
Most engineers work in teams
The individual student in the group learns from the others (peer learning)
Responsibility towards the group leads to very hard work
Group members provide social support, thus lower drop-out rate

16. Team work How ? Each group has a group room
Group size of 6-8 students first year, 2-3 students last year
Students are in charge of forming groups
New groups formed every semester
Team building courses:
Roles, communication, co-operation, conflicts

17. Projects What ? A unique task Have a lot of complex activities
Needs several people with different skills
Have a final goal/objective
Limited resources (time, money, people)
Have to deliver a result at a given time:
As a minimum a written report

18. Projects Why ? More and more companies use project organization
Much engineering work is performed as projects
Motivates the students and increases student activity
Secures deep learning in subjects covered in the project
Improves documentation skills

19. Projects How ? One project each semester
Necessary theories and methods given in project courses

20. The first semesters
The middle semesters
The highest semesters
Industry related projects
Industry based projects
Industry projects

21. Semester timing – an example
Mm. 1
Free study activity
Mm. 2
SE-course 1
SE-course 2
Project work
Mm. 3
Mm. 4
PE-course 1
Mm. 5
PE-course 4
Mm. 6
PE-course 2
Mm. 7
Mm. 8
PE-course 3
Mm. 9
Mm. 10
10 minimodules/week – 1 mm = 4 hours or ½ day
5 uger
5 uger
5 uger

22. Project process - an example

23. Projects How ? One project each semester
Necessary theories and methods given in project courses
Each group has (at least) one supervisor
Documentation:
a written report, oral defence, (construction)
Courses in:
project management and planning

24. The four phase model of a Project
Analysis
Design
Implementation
Test
The ideal
Student Project
Industriel
Project
Student
Project
too narrow
Student
Project
too broad
What does a typical project look like? Basically most projects has four phases:
Analyse, design, implementation and test.
If it is an industrial project, like creating a new mobile phone, then of course one have to analyse the whole product and its market situation before designing the whole phone, implementing it and test all parts alone and together before releasing the phone to be produced.
But a student project doesn't have to do it that way. If they try then they will find out that there isn't enough time and probably end somewhere between design and implementation. This is soon realized by the student and then some of them tries to narrow the project right from the beginning, choosing only to analyse a small part of the project, e.g.. The antenna of the mobile phone, and then design, implement and test that. But this is a too narrow approach where the students don't know the actual problem because they haven't analysed the whole problem.
The right way to do a problem oriented project is to start with a problem that isn't too big and then analyse the whole problem, chose which part to design – probably the parts the students think they can learn the most by designing.
Then again narrow the project by only implementing some parts, learning different implementation methods by using them once in stead of learning one method using it 5 times.
Testing is of course done of all the implemented parts to be sure they work, but using more formal testing methods and making test reports is only done for a small part of the implemented parts in order to prove that the students can do it.

25. What is analysis? Get an overview of the problem
Asking Questions
See Perspectives
Divide into different aspects
Top Down
Bottum Up
Look critically at all aspects
Estimate
Measure
Compare
If you were to describe what analyse is, what words would you use?
Note down suggestions and then compare to this list.

26. How to start analysing – presentation of two tools
The six W- model
Post It Brain storm
Everybody writes keywords on Post It notes for 5 min
All notes are placed on the blackboard
All notes are read out
Everybody goes to the blackboard and structures the notes together
Why?
What?
Problem
Whom?
Where?
How?
When?
Some times the students find it difficult to start analysing, so we help them by suggesting two tools already at the basic year, and i will present them for you, so that you also know.
…….Demonstrate by using post it laps
The first model can open a problem and the second one is very good for structuring a brain storm.
The strength is that you get a chance to think for your self, you gets a good structure even though it might take some time and finally you can see if more than one has thought of the same (more laps)

27. Lunch until 13.00

28. Problems
What ?
Three different types of problem based projects at AAU:
The task project
The discipline project
The problem project
What kind of problems could be the basis for a student group project?
At the engineering educations in Aalborg three different ways of using problem orientation has emerged:
The task project, the more discipline oriented project and the real or total problem project. I will now explain more about them.
Please move to the next slide.

29. The task project Considerable planning and control by the supervisors
The problem and the subject as well as the methods are chosen beforehand
The educational objectives are easily controlled
Being a supervisor is easy in that the supervisor knows exactly what is going to be explored in the project and can direct the students' choices in the planned direction.
The less problem oriented project is called the task project, which is characterised by a very high degree of planning and direction by the teacher, involving a large task to be solved.
Both the problem, the subjects and the methods are chosen in advance.
This means that the educational objectives are easily controlled and the supervisor knows exactly what is going to be explored in the project and he or she can direct the students in the planned direction.
But we know that the more the supervisor control’s the project the less the students feel that it is their project and their motivation falls.
Please move to the next slide.

30. The task project Problem Discipline
Metaphorically, you may think of the task project as a football game where you know where the football ground and the ball are as well as the basic rules, so you can just go and learn how to play, knowing the rules of the game. An example of a student project could be that in the firm X they have a machine emitting too much noise. The task given is to measure the noise level, calculate the necessary attenuation and find a silencer.
This kind of project may be proposed by teachers who want to be totally in control of the project.
Please move to the next slide.

31. The discipline project
The disciplines and the methods are chosen in advance
The students have to identify and define a problem within the described disciplines
The educational objectives are mostly formulated for each discipline
Being a supervisor in this process may be a bit uncertain, because the students are allowed to make some choices on their own. However, the scientific field is described well and hardly any surprises occur
The discipline project is more problem oriented although the disciplines and the methods are chosen by the teachers.
But it is the students that – within these disciplines have to identify a problem and define it and solve it.
The educational objectives will be defined for each of the disciplines and although the supervisor don’t know which problem the students will choose, the scientific field is well known and hardly any surprises will occur.
Please move to the next slide.

32. The discipline project
Problem
Again, metaphorically you may think of the football game. Now you know where to find the football ground and you know the basic rules, but before starting the game you must find the ball and set the game into play. An example of a student project could be a description of the scientific objectives as using a digital signal processor and creating a filter. The student will then have to start by finding a problem where a filter is needed in the solution and it would be a good idea to use a digital signal processer.
This kind of project might be used at semesters where there are a lot of different disciplines to be learned, and the teachers wants to be sure that they all becomes part of the project.
Please move to the next slide.

33. The problem project Based on problems as the starting point
The problem will determine the choice of disciplines, theories and methods
The educational objectives emphasises ability to analyse and methodological skills
The problem has to be chosen within a broader social and technical frame
Being a supervisor in this process may be difficult because it is a self-directed learning process and the supervisor may find him/herself at the edge of capacity
The 'problem project' is, contrary to the two former types of problem orientation, based on problems as the starting point. This means that the problem will determine the choice of disciplines and methods which correspond to the original idea of a problem-oriented learning process, as explained in lecture six, where the students have to start with a problem and analyze it, find fundamental solutions to the problem, choose the right solution and outline strategies for implementation It is very often an interdisciplinary project and the educational objectives concern ability to analyze and obtain methodical skills. Of course, the problem has to be chosen within a frame, but this frame is mainly described as a broader social technical topic. Being a supervisor in this process may be difficult because it is a self-directed process and the teacher may find him/herself at the edge of he’s capacity.
Please move to the next slide.

34. The problem project Problem Discipline
Metaphorically, we here deal with a situation where the students do not know what the football ground look like, and they hardly know the basic rules. But they have a ball and they are eager to play.
They have to start from scratch and set up the whole frame, marking the field and defining the playing rules before the game can be started. An example of a student project could be that in the firm X there is too much noise emitted in the production hall. Analyze the problem in order to find the noise sources and find solutions.
Please move to the next slide.

35. Common features of project work
For all three types of projects, a problem has to be analysed and solved by means of different theories and methods
The phases of the project are common to all three project types
Although there are great differences in if it is the teacher or the students that are in control in the tree project categories there are also similarities:
All the project types start with an analysis of a problem an then the student will try so solve it by means of some engineering theories and methods that has already been presented in a project unit course in the beginning of the semester.
This mean that the phases of a project are typically undependable of the type of project.
Please move to the next slide.

36. Problems Why ? Real world problems are interdisciplinary and complex
It is a learner-centred process
It meets the learners' interests and enhances motivation
It emphasizes development of analytical, methodological and transferable skills
Why do we use problem based project work in Aalborg ?
Because real world problems are both interdisciplinary and complex and being able to solve this kind of problems are skills that we want the students to develop.
It is a learner centered process which very much meets the learners interest and therefore enhances the motivation among the students.
The skills they develop are both analytical and methodological but most important – they are transferable in the sense that they can be used when solving other problems as well
Please move to the next slide.

37. AAU students on problems
”We are engineers – our responsibility is to solve real technological problems.”
”This is the first time we found a real problem ourselves rather than getting something from supervisors. It is really exciting. It fits my way of learning. I learn better when I find the way myself. This way of learning is much better than only attending lectures, because I have to know why I need to learn this. When I know the objective clearly, I learn much better.”
”When working on a problem, I am strongly motivated and attracted. We need to solve this problem.”
Xiangyun Du, 2005

38. Problems
How ?
The project groups choose their own problem to work with in the projects
The problem has to be analyzed within a relevant context before it can be solved or analyzed further
The problem determines the choice of methods and theories to be used
How do we treat the problems ?
Most important is that each student group are to choose their own problem to work with as their project each semester.
This is the basis for their feeling of ownership of the project, which is a very important motivation factor and enhances the learning process.
The problem has to be analyzed within its context before it can be solved and the result of this analysis determines the choice of methods and theories to be used.
Please move to the next slide.

39. Who is in control of what ?
Problem
Discipline
Results
Task Project
Supervisor +
Students
(?) ?
Discipline Project
(+)
Problem Project
When a teacher have to develop a project proposal it would be a good idea to look at the project classification , and propose a project that is well suited for the actual semester, but also for he’s or her capability.
As you can see the supervisor is able to control the problem, the disciplines or methods and the results for the task project, where the students only know the problem and have to learn the methods and gain a result. A new and insecure teacher or supervisor might be attracted towards this kind of project but it has the disadvantage that the student motivation might be very low if they are directed to much by the supervisor, so it is recommended to use one of the other project types or categories.
In the subject project the supervisor is in control of the disciplines and methods and have also some control over the problem as he can talk the students into a specific problem and thereby also to a certain amount control the results, at least concerning the disciplines they learn.
The students control the problem and the result them selves.
In the problem project the supervisor knows what disciplines and methods can be used, but who controlles the methods the problem and the results is very much up to the cooperation between the student group and the supervisor.
Please move to the next slide.

40. PBL as educational model - practice at AAU students’ experiences
Multiple learning resources
Drawing upon multiple learning resources, students take active role creating learning opportunities and managing their own learning

41. PBL as educational model - practice at AAU students’ reflection
We develop social skills in group work, this improves the learning process
We feel easier
to learn the technical skills through group work
We develop ourselves and get mature along the way
Project work help me get some ideas of what I am going to learn…
We learn best when the knowledge can be related to the assignment and our project
Students’ perceptions
I am confident in different tasks now after these experiences…
We are engineers, our tasks are to solve problems (Male EE)
We get mental support from each other, it involves lots of responsibility so that we don’t easily drop out (Female A&D)
I understand things better through explaining, discussing and practicing
I am strongly motivated when working on problems
We want to make it possible that we can learn from each other and everybody can learn what they want to learn
This makes our study serious… like real work place (Male EE)