Outcomes of blending project-based and traditional lecture-based teaching approaches in engineering education at the United Arab Emirates University

Outcomes of blending project-based and traditional lecture-based teaching approaches in engineering education at the United Arab Emirates University

Over the years, several teaching approaches are trialled, practiced and modified. While a direct flow of information from academic staff to students is the central view of traditional approach, the project-based learning (PBL) approach considers an active and deep learning through engaging students in a real world issue in a collaborative environment. Both approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages, and majority of engineering programmes in the world still apply traditional lecture-tutorial approach. This study investigates the outcomes of a blended model (mix of PBL and traditional) in teaching some engineering courses at the United Arab Emirates University, with the aim of eliciting the advantages of both approaches.

Copyright © 2014 Rezaul K. Chowdhury: The authors assign to AAEE and educational non-profit institutions a non-exclusive
licence to use this document for personal use and in courses of instruction provided that the article is used in full and this copyright statement is reproduced. The authors also grant a non-exclusive licence to AAEE to publish this document in full on the World Wide Web (prime sites and mirrors), on Memory Sticks, and in printed form within the AAEE 2014 conference proceedings. Any other usage is prohibited without the express permission of the authors.