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Developing Engineering Students’ Understanding of Sustainability Using Project Based Learning

Author

Listed:
  • Margaret Jollands

    (School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, 124 La Trobe St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia)

  • Raj Parthasarathy

    (School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, 124 La Trobe St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia)

Abstract

Project based learning (PjBL) can be an effective approach to developing graduate attributes, but it depends on how it is implemented. Chemical Engineering of RMIT University has a stream of PjBL subjects from first to final year. The projects are incrementally more complex but have the same goal: to choose a best process design, using management decision making tools to justify their choices. The tools include GEMI Metrics Navigator TM . This paper reports an evaluation of whether students’ understanding of sustainability is enhanced by undertaking multiple projects, as well as use of sophisticated analysis tools. Student learning outcomes from intermediate and final subjects were compared using ConceptMaps and a focus group. The students’ understanding of sustainability increased substantially from 2nd to final year, similar to results reported in European studies. The spread of results was broad, attributed to range of student ability and differences between student cohorts. Development of understanding of sustainability was attributed to undertaking multiple projects and use of spread-sheeting tools. Use of the GEMI tool was identified as facilitating application of sustainability principles to process design decisions. Concept maps are a useful way to evaluate innovations in teaching sustainable engineering.

Suggested Citation

  • Margaret Jollands & Raj Parthasarathy, 2013. "Developing Engineering Students’ Understanding of Sustainability Using Project Based Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(12), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:12:p:5052-5066:d:30865
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lorenz Probst, 2022. "Higher Education for Sustainability: A Critical Review of the Empirical Evidence 2013–2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.
    2. Shuyu Qi & Danning Huang & Qiutong Ma & Mi Zhou, 2023. "Factors Influencing Sustainable Development Literacy among Engineering Undergraduates in China: Based on the College Impact Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Graciano Dieck-Assad & Alfonso Ávila-Ortega & Omar Israel González Peña, 2021. "Comparing Competency Assessment in Electronics Engineering Education with and without Industry Training Partner by Challenge-Based Learning Oriented to Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-28, September.
    4. Qiudi Zhao & Xianwei Liu & Yonghong Ma & Xiaoqi Zheng & Miaomiao Yu & Dongjiao Wu, 2020. "Application of the Modified College Impact Model to Understand Chinese Engineering Undergraduates’ Sustainability Consciousness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-22, March.
    5. Zehui Zhan & Patrick S.W. Fong & Hu Mei & Xuhua Chang & Ting Liang & Zicheng Ma, 2015. "Sustainability Education in Massive Open Online Courses: A Content Analysis Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-27, February.
    6. Andrea L. Hicks, 2022. "The role of community‐based learning in teaching about industrial ecology and sustainability in the context of engineering education: A case study from the field," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(3), pages 1136-1146, June.
    7. Victor Takashi Hayashi & Reginaldo Arakaki & Felipe Valencia de Almeida & Wilson Vicente Ruggiero, 2023. "The Development of Sustainable Engineering with PjBL during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-23, March.
    8. Ian Thomas, 2014. "Special Issue—Pedagogy for Education for Sustainability in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-4, April.

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