Productive Learning: CDIO Project Based Learning (PBL) Assessment Strategy for Microcontroller Course in Engineering Curriculum

Abstract

The immense aim of education is not knowledge but action. Any education system should offer an opportunity to the student to adapt what she or he has learnt in practice and develop professionally. When the learning happens by implementing, the knowledge that is used becomes inerasable in the mind. In this context this paper discusses how a project- based learning approach adopted in Microcontroller course enhances the programming skill of a student and also how effectively this skill can be infused with CDIO standards. Courses like Microprocessor and Microcontroller involves both theoretical and practical classes. However, Reports and feedback say students were not successful in implementing big projects in companies using higher end processors with some hands-on exercises during their course learning. This work addresses this issue by introducing Project-based learning (PBL) enables students to gain critical competencies that support professional education and equip them for employment in the future. A project is a special undertaking that has uncertainties that must be effectively handled during execution. Instead of the usual essay- and exam-based traditional classroom learning, project-based learning is better able to tackle the challenges of training students to solve real-world problems. The students were insisted to do their own project which brings the applicability of PBL to implementation phase of CDIO standard. Through well-defined learning objectives of PBL, programming skill, debugging skill, readiness to adopt and implement by acquiring overall confidence in the course, were undoubtedly improved beyond the regular theory and laboratory classes. Also, the assessment methodology was changed on the basis of project implemented by the students. In the proposed method, PBL guarantees numerous opportunities for learning outside of the classroom.