1

Dr. Xiangyun Du Professor Department of Learning and Philosophy Aalborg University

Innovative Pedagogy and PBL-Inspired Teaching Experiments

Introduction to me

• Master 2001 Roskilde University Denmark • Master 2002 Linkoping University Sweden • PhD 2005 Aalborg University (AAU) Denmark • Assistant Professor AAU) 2006 - 08• Associate Professor AAU 2008 - 11• Management program at Harvard 2011• Professor AAU 2011 - • 2005- AAU PBL course for Master students, PhD

students and new employees • 2006- PBL workshops over 10 countries • Educational Research on PBL and cultural learning

2

3

Denmark in Europe

4

Aalborg at the Fjord – 200,000 inhabitants

5

Department of• Social Studies & Organisation • Economics, Politics and Public Administration• Business Studies

Department of• History, International, and Social Studies• Music and Music Therapy• Learning• Communication

• Human Centered Informatics

• Languages and International studies

Department of• Civil Engineering• Building Technology & Structural Engineering• Chemistry and Applied Engineering Science• Electronic Systems• Production• Physics• Energy Technology• Mechanical Engineering• Computer Science• Mathematical Science• Life Sciences• Architecture and Design• Development and Planning• Health Science and

Technology

Faculty of Engineering and Sciences

Department of• Health Science

Technology - Bio- Med engineering - Industrial Medicine - Clinical Medicine • Clinic sciences • Hospital

Faculty of Medicine and Health

Faculty of social Sciences

Faculty of Humanities

Aalborg University

Workshop Aims

• To facilitate the development of local, institutionally sustainable PBL-frameworks for GDUT

• To support the participants with relevant knowledge and skills to design and plan PBL-teaching experiments, based on PBL principles, that are suitable for implementation within the local context, as well as for the overall strategy of educational development at GDUT

• To provide PBL experiences for participants

PBL experience for participants• Problem formulation (Phase 1)• Problem analysis (Phase 1)• Problem solving

oGroup Work I: Designing an institutional PBL framework for GDUT (Phase 2)

oGroup Work II: Designing a concrete PBL teaching experiment based on the institutional framework - Possible problems and projects that could be used at GDUT (Phase 3)

• Presentation (Phase 4)• Peer assessment and evaluation (Phase 4)

Phase one Problem identification and analysis + preparation for

team work + inputs for theoretical understanding • Presentation I: Need for change: challenges from learning

and teaching experiences - Problem identification • Group discussions• Presentation II: PBL introduction –theory, philosophy,

definition, examples of PBL and variations of PBL practices• Presentation III: What is a problem? What is a project?

Examples of different practices of designing problems and projects

• Introducing design plan and group work - Forming groups around topics, challenges and issues of common interest

Phase two Designing an institutional PBL framework for GDUT

(problem-solving in team work + theories)• Presentation IV: Designing a PBL inspired curriculum

(curriculum and pedagogical design, assessment and constructive alignment)

• Group Work I: Developing institutional framework for PBL Teachings at GDUT

• Preparing poster for presentation • Presenting and discussing the outcomes of the groups’ work

(the institutional framework for PBL teaching)

Phase three Designing PBL Teaching Experiments

(problem-solving in team work + theories) Presentation V: Designing a PBL teaching experiment

(restructuring the courses and balancing Presentation and project work, assessment)

Group Work II: Designing a concrete PBL teaching experiment based on the institutional framework - Possible problems and projects that could be used in GDUT

Preparing poster for presentation • Presenting and discussing the outcomes of the groups’ work

(PBL teaching experiments)

Phase four Presentation, assessment and evaluation

• Phase four – Presentation + assessment and evaluation of the solutions + plans for future– Presentation VI: Facilitation: The role of teaching in a PBL

context – Participants’ Presentation and discussion of results– Peer assessment and evaluation– Evaluation of the workshop

– Discussion on follow up activities

12

Activity 1 Competence Profiles

Please work in team to list the main keywords of the expected competences of your subject/profession in the current society.

13

Professional competencies - from previous workshop (soft-ware engineer)

Group A• Team and communication

competence • Eagerness to study and

learn• Software development skills• Knowledge in at least one

application domain (business process engineering)

Group B• Abstract thinking• Programming skills• Analytical skills• Team spirit • Well-structured work

approach

14

What are the competences are your graduates provided with the current curriculum?

• Group A• Basic studies:

– programming and software engineering skills, usibility.

– Introduction to different domains – Self management and language skills

• Main studies:– Software development lab (tools,

project management that student led work)

– Advanced computer science (theory and algorithms, networks, mathmatic modling and simulation)

• Work placement• Majors:

– Two domains to choose from, system engieneering, business applications,

– Soft skills

• Group B• Team work – presentation skills • Pratical project skills• Abstract, Analytical thinking ? (to what

level)• Application to problem solving

15

Are our graduates provided with sufficient competence profile that

are required in the professional work?

16

’There is still one more seat in the wall’

The way I was educated Big class, little room for individual ideas

http://www.cnsphoto.com/

17

Same materials year after year…

18

Memory is more important than application skills for high scores…

19

Transferred knowledge will be returned after exams

20

Room for innovation?

21

Can innovation be facilitated in this way?

http://eby.cc/p/1961.htm

22

Am I teaching the same way I was taught?

23

Need for Innovation in Engineering Education

• Is there a need for change?• Why do we need educational change? • Global experiences

24

Need for Educational Innovation• Overloaded curricula and improve

learning• Complexity of problems demands

new skills: collaboration, interdisciplinary knowledge, skills for innovation, sustainability and life long learning, etc.

• Innovation and sustainable development – regional develpment and global competition

24

PRODUCTION

INNOVATION

http://www.cnsphoto.com/

25

Demand from Globlobalization and technological development– human concern, sustainability, environment, ecomonics, ethics, social responsibility…

http://www.cnsphoto.com/

26(Becker 2006)

Need for change: industry expectationsComparaison of capabilities taught at universities and required in professional life by young profesionals - Germany

27(Becker 2006)

Ranking of capabilities important in professional life by young electrical engineers five years after graduation - Germany

28

Need for change: Diversity of competencies

Scientific knowledge

Professional competencies

Process competencies • Project

management• Communication• Teamwork • Organization • Professional identity

and responsibility • Life long learning

29

Need for change: How to facilitate innovation – role of university?

Cortese 2003

30

Need for change: accreditationsGlobalized context

Diverse capabilities

Lifelong learning

Project management

Social, environmental, and

ethical concerns

Effective communication

Intercultural competencies

Designing and conducting

experiments

- National Academy of Engineering, The Engineer of 2020, 2004- EUR-ACE (Accreditation of European Engineering Programmes and

Graduates, http://www.feani.org/EUR_ACE/EUR_ACE_Main_Page.htm - ABET: http://www.abet.org/

 

Identity and solve applied science

problems

Team work

Application of mathematics and

science knowledge

Analytical skills

Interdisciplinary knowledge

31

Border of “new” knowledge - ever expanding

Border of presently “known” knowledge

In TRADITIONAL learning environment

What the student can learn within a given time

Need for change: Challenges for the curricula

Student’s own

interest

Expected skills from industry Social & global

responsibilities

32

Bologna Declaration – European Higher Education

Areas (EHEA) by 2010 • A multitude of expectations to the realization of the EHEA

(Becker 2004):• shorter study time through intense and job-relevant curricula• Program combination and student integration into

professional life • Possibilities of transferring • Attractiveness for international students• Transparency for employers • Independence and market orientation • Attractiveness of technical studies – bachelor degree

33

First Cycle graduate EUR-ACE: Personal Programme Outcomes for

the bachelor level1. Individual and

Team workFunction effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader in diverse Engineering teams.

2. Communi-cation

Communicate effectively on intermediate engineering activities with the engineering community and with society at large, by being able to comprehend and write effective reports and design documentation, make effective presentations, and give and receive clear instructions

3. The Engineer And Society

Demonstrate understanding of the societal, health, safety, legal and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities relevant to engineering practice.

4. Ethics Understand and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities and norms of engineering practice.

5. Environment andSustainability

Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal context and demonstrate knowledge of and need for sustainable development.

6. ProjectManagement and Finance

Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of management and business practices, such as risk and change management, and understand their limitations.

34

Educational changes in Denmark • New study programs: enriched disciplines • New expectations: broadened skills and

competences • New study forms: implementing student

centred and work place-imitated learning environment (for example, PBL as an educational strategy)

New challenges and tasks for educators

35

Global experiences and practices of educational change

• Australia – accreditation and attribute • UK – inquiry based learning• China – research oriented learning • Malaysia (2006?) and • South Africa (1997) have both introduced• Outcomes Based Education (OBE) at all levels

36

Malaysian Qualification Framework (MQF) Learning Outcomes

1. knowledge of discipline areas 2. practical skills 3. social skills and responsibilities 4. value, attitude and professionalism 5. communication, leadership and team skills 6. problem solving and scientific skills 7. information management and life-long learning skills 8. managerial and entrepreneurial skills

37

South African Critical Cross-Field Learning Outcomes

1. Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking

2. Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation and community

3. Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively

4. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information5. Communicate effectively using visual, symbolic, and/or language

skills in various modes6. Use science and technology effectively and critically showing

responsibility towards the environments and the health of others7. Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related

systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation

38

Victorial University, MELBOURNE - AUS

39

Why CHANGE Through late 2004 and 2005, the vice-chancellor and

president of VU set up a working party of professional academics and industry partners to: distinguish competencies of professionals which

industry ‘really’ seeks for

Industry partners expressed and stated that a professional (engineer) should posses the following competencies: Technically sound Posses strong oral and written skills Project management skills

40

CHANGE PROCESS

Announcement in 2005 of the decision to commit to PBL as a teaching and learning style in 2006

The proposals were endorsed by the Board of Studies of the on the 21st July 2005

Considered by the Higher Education Course Approval Committee (HECAC) of VU on the 5th of August 2005

41

IMPLEMENTING PBL CURRICULUM IN 6 MONTHS

42

WHAT IS REQUIRED?

Management support Curriculum design Staff/faculty Training A team of ‘champions’ who:

Not only understand the concept, but Believe in the concept

43

Group discussion 1 (Problem identification)

• Challenges/issues/problems from your teaching experiences

• Please summarize 3 common issues (headlines) in a poster presentation

• Time duration 30minutes • Summing up

44

Please analyze the problems (using the six W- model)

Group discussion 2 (Problem Analysis)

ProblemWhom?

Why? What?

Where?

When?How?

Open discussion

• Summing up key issues• Strategies for improving the situation in

relation to identified issues • What have you been doing to make a

difference? • What you would like to do? – hypotheses for

potential solutions