Project is often used as part of the curriculum to engage students in problem-solving and collaborative work (Bell, 2010). Project work allows students to apply knowledge that they have learnt throughout the course of their study to different real-life problems. Depending on the discipline, project work can take different forms. For example, it can be in a form of a laboratory based project for science, an entrepreneurship related project for business and a design project for engineering.
Reference
Bell, S. (2010). Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 83(2), 39-43.
Project cases
Fostering Student Interests in Projects via Specialized Streams at Trinity College Dublin
The History Group Projects course at Trinity College Dublin provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to carry out research projects depending on their own interests and are guided by mentors. The case has a strong emphasis on group work where students of similar research interests work collaboratively on the project design and implementation. Assessment approaches correspond to this goal by incorporating group portfolios and group presentations.
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Gaining Collaboration and Practical Skills by Building a Vehicle at Taylor's University
In a capstone project for third-year Mechanical Engineering students at Taylor's University, students are encouraged to design and operate a human-powered vehicle (HPV). The project stresses the concept of "learning by doing" and the application of engineering knowledge to real-life situations. A wide range of innovative assessment methods, such as logbooks, interim reports, final reports and technical operations, have been adopted to evaluate and cultivate students' holistic competencies alongside with their technical skills.
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Assessing Engineering Project-based Assignments at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
'Social Media and Human Information Interaction' is an elective course for engineering students. Students are required to work in groups to work on an interdisciplinary project regarding the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations. Students are expected to relate engineering professionalism with global citizenship for holistic leadership training.
