Implementation of Problem Based Learning Concept in Engineering Academic Curriculum for Development of Entrepreneurial Attitude

Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) is already practiced in medical education. In 1960s, it started at McMaster University situated in Canada and became an instructional approach where students learn by solving open-ended problems that are challenging in nature. Socially and contextually based teams of students are created and the problems that are authentic tasks are solved. The students “rely on their current knowledge of the problem; identify information they need to know to solve the problem; and decide the strategies they use to solve the problem”. Due to rigid curriculum developed by University to which given self-financed college is affiliated, implementation of PBL becomes a challenging task to undertake. The main reason being that there are many references that do not enlighten the issue of PBL but rather only focus upon importance and success stories of the given practice. To address this problem, in Silver Oak Group of Institutes, Ahmedabad, we have started implementing PBL by allocating openended problem to the group of second and third year engineering students of any branch and giving them timeline chart and other resources to solve such problems. To analyse the grading criteria of students, Problem Recognition, Organization Structure, Quality of the Work, Presentation Skills, and Learning Outcome-based Evaluation criteria were employed. The prediction of the student’s self-employability can be done by observing his/her entrepreneurial education and attitude. The knowledge gained through the studied matter should be able to reflect upon the skill set of the attendee, which should be the main aim while designing the curriculum for the any given course.