Competency-based learning and its application to teaching the fundamentals of engineering design

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of competency-based learning in the development of machine design skills among first-year university students. This modern approach has been successfully used in the Fundamentals of Engineering Design course at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Bohemia. Traditional lecture-based teaching techniques are rather ineffective in complicated, creative fields like machine design. The aim of the course is to transfer skills and ways of thinking, rather than information. Therefore, the main focus is put on the ability to tackle problems by working with real-life sources of information and implementing them in current design problems rather than just memorizing information and completing assignments. Competency-based learning has been found to be a perfect match for such an application. This system of instruction, assessment, and grading requires students to prove their acquired knowledge and abilities by demonstrating project solutions. The paper provides an overview of its application during classes. In our experience, rearranging lectures into project-like individual and group activities motivates students to actively explore the given topic themselves. Self-exploration stimulates deep thinking and understanding. Unlike in classical lessons, all students are forced to actively work and pay attention. All of this leads to higher success rates in the exams. Firstly, the main principles and background of the techniques used in competency learning (such as constructivism, flipped learning, and gamification) are described. Then they are demonstrated on practical examples from our lessons. The final section discusses feedback from students, issues that were encountered, and their potential solutions.