Effectiveness of introducing problem based learning in the undergraduate engineering curriculum

Problem solving is the primary intellectual activity of engineers. Therefore, enhancing problem-solving skills is essential for preparing engineering students for practice in the profession. A powerful approach for enhancing problem-solving skills is the problem-based learning (PBL) method. This paper presents the design and construction of a PBL-based course in materials science at the junior level in a mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE) department. We assess the ability of a PBL course based on longer complex problems to enable students to learn both fundamental knowledge of the subject matter and also problem solving skills and contrast it with outcomes in a traditional lecture based course. The issues and challenges faced in assessing and implementing PBL are discussed. Copyright © 2012 by ASME