Project Based Learning Strategies for
Electrical Engineering Education
by: Waldo Cervantes, Luis M Martinez and Sergio Montufar
Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de Mexico
Learning through project design and
implementation is a widely used methodology
for engineering education. In a pedagogical
context such a method is formally known as
Project Based Learning (PBL). The advantages
of such an educational tool against other
learning approaches are evident as most of
engineering educators use it, and other
disciplines have incorporated this method for
their particular learning activities. These
advantages include a better understanding of the
nature of engineering solutions, an increased
development of self-direction and teamworking, and a novel paradigm on studenteducator relationship. Nevertheless, this native
engineering learning methodology can be
enriched with other approaches arising from
pedagogy and good-practice.
This engineering brief, (a) reviews those
principles of a formal PBL approach applied to
electrical engineering learning at undergraduate
level; (b) illustrates the benefits of such a
learning approach by reviewing some projects
implemented around Freescale technology, and
(c) synthesizes some empirical
recommendations for delivering a better
learning experience.
Table of Contents
1
2
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
4
Engineering Projects ................................................ 2
Steps for PBL implementation .................................. 4
Applications .............................................................. 5
Weather Station ................................................... 6
TV Remote controlled Robot ................................ 7
Human Transporter .............................................. 8
Two-way 802.11g based voice communicator ..... 9
References ............................................................... 9
Table of Figures
Figure 1. Weather station block diagram .................6
Figure 2. Remote control .........................................7
Figure 3. Human transporter .....................................8
Figure 4. Two-way 802.11g voice communicator .....9
1
Engineering Projects
A first step into PBL study is the definition of ‘Project’. In a literature review exercise, we soon find the
diversity of ‘definitions’ and concepts describing this central-role activity in engineering. Even,
accreditation boards and professional societies provide definitions. However, as we soon find, the
essence of PBL including such definitions are empirical and certainly reflect their context. Some
examples are:
“. . . the allocation of resources directed toward a specific objective following a planned,
organized approach.” Lientz and Rea (1998)
“the projection of ideas and activities into new endeavours.” Lock (1996)
“. . . an endeavour in which human material and financial resources are
organized in a novel way, to undertake a unique scope of work of given
specification, within constraints of cost and time, so as to achieve unitary,
beneficial change, through the delivery of quantified and qualitative objectives.”
Turner (1992)
“... an activity where the participants have some degree of choice in the outcome. The result is
complete and functional, that is, it has a beginning, middle and end.” Hiscocks (2007)
We foresee no significant difference amongst electrical engineering projects and other engineering
projects (mechanical, industrial, civil). Hence, we propose the following elements of an engineering
project to be considered in any definition.

Offers a optimal solution to a set of finite requirements (economic, social, scientific)

Is an activity that relies on a design process

Always involves creativity and optimization

Has defined outcomes (products, deliverables) which can be expressed as objetives

Must be executed within a limited time span and with limited resources (human, budget,
methods, materials)

There is not such a unique solution or implementation

The quality of the outcome is closely related to knowledge (context, problems, solutions,
experience)
It is evident that an engineering project is mainly the result of design as recognized by the Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as follows:
“Engineering design is the process of devising a system, component, or process to meet
desired needs. It is a decision making process (often iterative), in which the basic
sciences and mathematics and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources
optimally to meet a stated objective. Among the fundamental elements of the design
process are the establishment of objectives and criteria, synthesis, analysis,
construction, testing, and evaluation.”
We recognize a number of engineering projects which can be categorized as follows:

Design, build and test

Build and test

Test and evaluate

Identify

Improve, Optimize

Substitution of components
The elements in these definitions, can guide the of the design of a PBL activity as they guide the
enunciation of objectives and competences.
2
Steps for PBL implementation
This section describes the steps required for a potentially-succesful PBL implementation. However,
readers must be advised that not every engineering project is suitable for electrical engineering PBL
(EEPBL) methodology, mainly due to the suitability with students interests, available resources, and
coherence with elements and categories of engineering projects as described in section 1. In addition, the
engineering educator should have in mind the relationship between project and learning objetives; which
they are not necessarily aligned and the later are most important in terms of engineering education. It is
advisable to identify the following items for constructing the learning case / project enunciate:

Objective

Deliverables

Prerrequisites

Background information

Requirements as specifications

Schedule

Constraints

Reports and documentation
Most engineering educators already have experience with laboratory practicals / projects, which
normally are described with a ‘nearly-universal’ framework. In general, this framework describes a) the
objetives, b) the method to be used, c) background information / theory, d) expected results, e) the
documentation, and f) a schedule. One of the main ideas behind a PBL methodology is to implement
such a framework for executing other types of projects. This facilitates the development of the ‘learning
case’ and the construction of the rest of a EEPBL experience. However, there are a couple of extra
elements for transforming an ‘electrical laboratory practical’ into a EEPBL. Namely, the educational
objectives aligned with the project objetives, and the evaluation of learning.
As proposed by PBL methodology, there is no single path for achieving the objetive. Hence, our
methodology is not a unique solution for EEPBL implmentation. A starting point for designing the
EEPBL experience is to list the required competences (What they should know?) and compare them to
the ideas arising from instructor experience, industry trends, students interests. For example, in a
Sensors and Actuators course, students should learn about sillicon temperature sensors and the
instrumentation for interfacing to a microcontroller. The instructor initially has an idea to develop a
human temperature thermometer, however he assumes that students would not be sufficiently motivated
to engage into project development. While seeking alternatives, in a meeting a colleague suggests that
students are currently interested in global warming. Hence, the instructor proposes a ‘Global Warming
Temperature Monitor’ project for learning about these sensors and their instrumentation. EEPBL
success relies on motivation –students’ and educators’- and current observed trend of ‘significative
learning’.
The next step is the design of the learning experience. We are sure that most of the readers have already
developed a method for instructional design, i.e. what and how the learning objectives can be achieved.
Nevertheless, we stress the close relationship of most ‘Laboratory Practicals’ with EEPBL designs and
the abundance of information about this subject. However, a critical issue in this design is the evaluation
of students’ potential as compared with project requirements, resulting in an optimal project sizing. We
illustrate this with the project described in the previous section. The original idea of the instructor is that
the designed device would be part of an array of sensors, enabling a distributed sensing array. However,
most of the students have little or no experience with project-appropriate communications techniques.
Consequently, this requirement is removed from the specifications and a standarized communications
interface is required. Any educator engaging into EEPBL should consider flexibility as a relevant
variable in the implementation of the project. We have recorded as much as 150% difference between
scheduled ‘theoretical/standard’ times for any project phase and real implementation. Most of time,
students lag instructor times.
The third step in the EEPBL design is to answer, How learning is evaluated ? Conventional evaluating
strategies rely on quantitative methods focusing on objective achivement and performance. In PBL, it is
highly recommended to include other evaluation methods such as rubrics to assess quality, satisfaction,
performance, involvement; rather than just focus on deliverables and performance. In either case, the
engineering educator should consider alternative methods and sources such as: formative assessment,
integral evaluation of multiple evidence of learning sources, assessment of multiple outcomes
(knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, values, motivation, affectives), assessment of improvement
of student rather than performance, and in general focus on qualitative and quantitative evaluation rather
than the later only.
3
Applications
At Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, we are commited to PBL as a set of steps that adhere to
the Competences and Habilities learning philosophy and Freescale’s technology has contributed to
achieve EEPBL targets, and a number of applications have been developed using the proposed
methodology based upon Freescale’s hardware. Its development tools allow for quick prototype
development cycles, giving students the ability to focus on testing different approaches to their given
problems which in many instances, results in an increase in motivation. From the educator’s
perspective, continous assesment of a project and the student’s involvement can be made, and thus
facilitating the EEPBL process. What follows are some succesful examples of projects.
3.1
Weather Station
Audience: 2nd. year EE, ME, students.
Objective: Design and test a small geometry factor weather station.
Learning goals: a) understand and apply weather instrumentation, b) develop low power design abilities,
c) understand distributed acquisition arrays, d) evaluate weatherproof device design.
Concept: Develop a modular low cost, solar/battery operated weather station suitable for constructing a
distributed acquisition array for recording and forecasting.
Deliverables: a) design schedule, b) budget, c) schematics and drawings, d) calibration results, e)
prototype, f) signal processing and control code, g) test report.
Main involved technologies: a) sensors (temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, wind speed),
b) power management hardware, c) power supply, d) CPU08 based microcontroller, e) enclosures and
cabling
Specifications: to be developed by students
Evaluation: phase 1 – planning, research and concept development, phase 2- implementation and testing,
phase 3- test results, users manual
Time to deployment: 1 month
TT1
HT1
PT100
Temp. sensor
2212 HM Vaisa
Humidity
Sensor
Humedad
DT1
Wind direction
sensor
VT1
Windspeed
sensor
PT1
DLA160
Barometer
LLT1
Pluviometer
TT2
Internal
temperature
LM35
TT3
Surface temp.
JB1
DB2
5
Microcontroller
board
DB9
JB2
DB9
DAQ1
PC
Figure 1. Weather station block diagram
3.2
TV Remote controlled Robot
Audience: 2nd. year EE, ME and Biomedical Eng. students.
Objective: Design a robot vehicle
Learning goals: a) develop a final course project based on a microcontroller , b)apply embbeded system
design concepts, c) apply assembler programming concepts, d) manipulate different microcontroller
peripherals, e)design a robot vehicle
Concept: Design and implement an robot vehicle with the ability to follow commands from a common
TV Remote Control, including both manual and programmed operation modes
Deliverables: a) tasks schedule, b)design proposal c) block diagram and code proposal, d) robot
prototype (mechanical), e)working robot, g) final report.
Main involved technologies: a) IR Sensor, b) DC and Servo Motors, c) power supply, d) CPU08 based
microcontroller, e) Codewarrior IDE
Specifications: as described in the concept with a design proposed by the students
Evaluation: phase 1 – planning, research and concept development, phase 2- implementation and testing,
phase 3- test results
Time to deployment: 1 month
Figure 2. Remote control
3.3
Human Transporter
Audience: 3nd. year EE, ME, students.
Objective: Design a Segway-like Human Transporter
Learning goals: a) understand and apply modern Control Techniques, b) design and implement the
mechanical plant , c) implement an autonomous power vehicle, d) evaluate different designs approaches.
Concept: Develop a human transporter based on the Segway, including its Control algorithms and
control electronics, mathematical model, PCB, mechanical plant, and power supply.
Deliverables: a) project schedule, b) mechanical plant c) budget, d) schematics, e)power supply design
d) calibration, e) prototype, f) signal processing and control algorithm, g) test report.
Main involved technologies: a) gyroscope and 2-axis accelerometer b) power management hardware, c)
power supply, d) 56F8013 Digital Signal Controller, e) Codewarrior IDE
Specifications: as described in the concept with a design proposed by the students
Evaluation: phase 1 – planning, research and concept development, phase 2- implementation and testing,
phase 3- test results, users manual
Time to deployment: 3 months
Figure 3. Human transporter
3.4
Two-way 802.11g based voice communicator
Audience: Final year EE students.
Objective: Design and Test a Two-way Wi-Fi based communicator
Learning goals: a) Develop a working Electronic product.
Concept: Design and implement an Electronic product which allows two devices to stablish voice
communicaton in a 802.11g based network.
Deliverables: a) design schedule, b) budget, c) schematics and drawings, d) results, e) working product,
f)final report.
Main involved technologies: a) 802.11g transceiver, b) High Performance DAC, c)MC56F8365
Freescale DSC, d)Power Supply, e)Speaker and microphone
Specifications: to be developed by students
Evaluation: phase 1 – planning, research and concept development, phase 2- implementation and testing,
phase 3- test results, users manual
Time to deployment: 1 year
Figure 4. Two-way 802.11g voice communicator
4
References

Aitken, William. Delivering Successful Projects. Broadstairs, Kent, UK: Scitech Educational,
2000.

B P Lientz & K P Rea. Project Management for the 21st Century, Academic Press. 1998.

D Lock (1998), Project Management, Gower.

J R Turner (1993), The Handbook of Project-based Management, McGraw-Hill.

National Research Council(CB). Approaches to Improve Engineering Design.

Washington, DC, USA: National Academies Press, 2002.

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Criteria for Accrediting Engineering
Programs. Baltimore, USA: ABET, 2000.

Frank, Moti, and Abigail Barzilai. "Integrating alternative assessment in a project based learning
course for pre-service science and technology teachers." Assessment & Evaluation in Higher
Education 29, no. 1 (2004).
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