International Conference on Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD) (7th : 2015)

The impact of project-based learning on self-directed learning readiness Eggermont, Marjan; Brennan, Robert W.; O’Neill, Tom

Abstract

All incoming students at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering take a first year Design and Communication course that requires them to work in teams of 4 on a number of open-ended design projects. The projects require students to be persistent, self-disciplined, and curious, while carefully organizing and pacing themselves to reach their end goal. In this paper, we use the Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) survey to determine if, by practicing these skills, students’ self-directed learning readiness is improved. We compare a compare a new cohort of first-year engineering students with a cohort of first-years students with project-based learning experience. The results suggest that project-based learning experiences do have a positive impact on self-directed learning readiness.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada