Assessing the Effectiveness of a Hybrid PPBL Model of Delivering Workshop Practice Course for the First-Year Engineering Students

Abstract

This paper presents cognizance of learning and change in attitude of first year engineering students who have participated in a Project and Product Based Learning (PPBL) approach to the course Workshop Practice. The traditional course `Workshop Practice' was modified and implemented in the Rajarambapu Institute of Technology from Academic Year 2016-17. This course is compulsory for all branch students of first year engineering and is segmented into two bits viz; Workshop Practice I and Workshop Practice II, students are required to learn various workshop skills in first semester and based on the acquired skills , the PPBL hybrid approach in second semester will help them to conceptualize and fabricate small jobs of their interest, This not only will help students to learn engineering skills but some life skills too. The qualitative paradigm was found to be suitable for studying the process undergone by the students, mainly because the study focused on students’ emotions, thoughts, behaviour, and difficulties. Data was collected by structured feedback of the students, the instructor, by observations during their work, and by analysing students' reports. The paper presents the transformation from Project Based Learning (PBL) to hybrid approach of Project and Product based learning (PPBL), students' cognizance of the aim of the course, the instructor's role in a PPBL approach; advantages of the PPBL from the students' point of view and PPBL as a learning environment for future engineers.