A case study of modular-based project oriented learning in electrical engineering

Abstract

Considering the worldwide acceptance of problem/project-based learning methods, the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Dokuz Eylül University replaced its curriculum with a modular-based problem/project oriented one in Fall 2002. Current education system consists of sequentially given two, three or four week-long problem or project-based modules. Different from the conventional approach, in our system traditional courses are individually covered as independent modules given in sequential manner. While the first three years consist mainly of problem-based modules, senior year is purely project oriented. In this study, we present our experiences through the example of a senior year module. Our experience suggests that project-oriented learning in senior year is an effective method of teaching not only the theoretical or practical aspects of the subject matter but also the necessary qualities for real life experiences of soon-to-be engineers. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.