Campus-wide course modification program to implement active & collaborative learning and problem-based learning to address the entrepreneurial mindset

Abstract

While active and collaborative learning (ACL) and problem-based learning (PBL) have been effectively implemented at the college-level for many years, their widespread use in engineering education is a more recent development. Research has shown that ACL and PBL allow for higher critical thinking, reasoning, achievement, and retention in students. In addition, because ACL and PBL typically require teamwork, communication, and tolerance for ambiguity among other aspects, they are also an ideal vehicle for instilling the attributes of the entrepreneurial mindset in students. Lawrence Technological University implemented a six year process to modify 75% of the courses in the engineering curriculum to include ACL and PBL. Besides traditional engineering courses, such as statics and design, the modified courses include those in our general education core curriculum, such as calculus, history, literature, communication, and the sciences. As such, this course modification process involves more than 50 faculty members from multiple departments and colleges. The process entails intensive week-long workshops, report-back accountability sessions, closing-the-loop sessions, support teams of faculty from related content areas, coordinators, peer-reviewers, and a leadership team of university administrators, faculty and staff. This paper will explain the reason and objectives for the course modifications and will detail the process to modify many diverse courses including faculty evaluation of the program. The paper will discuss the impact that the course modifications have had on the university as a whole. Finally, the paper will present assessment results of pre- And post-course surveys of student perceptions of the use of ACL and PBL to apply attributes of the entrepreneurial mindset. The surveys demonstrate a positive shift in perceptions. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2013.