INDIVIDUALIZATION IN ENGINEERING DESIGN EDUCATION: IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ADAPTIVE E-LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (ADE-LE)

Abstract

Well-educated engineers are key for successful engineering design in product development. Due to varying school education and technical backgrounds, the students have different prerequisites for the acquisition of competences. Subject of this paper is to show the methodical implementation of the prototype AdE-Le suited to the curriculum at Ruhr-University-Bochum and the open source learning platform Moodle. Aim is to evaluate the didactic potential to support engineering students with heterogeneous competence levels. The general needs and existing approaches for E-Learning environments as a means to individualize learning content in engineering design are discussed. Major aim is to reduce the linkage between the students' technical background and their exam success. AdE-Le as an exemplary application is developed based on the didactical concept of Constructive Alignment. Due to a harmonization of learning methods and contents in Engineering Design across the members of the Scientific Society for Product Development the results of this investigation can be transferred to other Universities.