Designing a co-curricular program to support project-based learning in the engineering curriculum

Abstract

There are many challenges related to the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) in the engineering curriculum. The amount of work required by instructors to design well-posed projects is a barrier to the broad adoption of PBL. On the other hand, poorly designed PBL activities often cause frustration among students, create extra work for instructors and students alike, and generally detract from the intended learning outcomes. In this paper we introduce a unique co-curricular program that supports instructors in the creation of high-quality and high-impact PBL activities. The program is innovative as it involves and benefits multiple stakeholders including students employed through the program, faculty, industry, and the engineering curriculum. The ongoing efforts to improve the program are also described.