As mentioned earlier, PBL incorporates teamwork via student-centered learning. PBL is a learning approach that facilitates student-centered activities required for learning in STEM-based courses.

Let’s take a look at how this works in the case of Aalborg University in Denmark.

Aalborg University, Denmark has more than 100 STEM (both bachelor’s degree and master’s degree) courses in Information Technology, Engineering, and the Natural Sciences. 

As mentioned earlier, PBL is the learning approach at Aalborg University, hence the STEM-based courses are delivered via PBL.

  • At Aalborg University, Bachelor’s and master’s student’s complete 30ECTS courses per semester.
  • Every semester for each study level, in every education program (STEM inclusive), do have broad semester themes. An example of a semester theme for a 2nd year IT master’s student could be “databases and embedded systems”.
  • Courses and projects in these semesters are developed and taught with reference to the theme of the semester.
  • 50% of the credit load (often 5ECTS each) is allocated to courses. Most of the coursework are project courses that provide knowledge inputs for the project based on the semester themes. There are general courses too “study courses” that provide students with general knowledge about the subject area. Here the teacher serves as a knowledge facilitator rather than a traditional teacher. 
  • 50% of the credit load (15 ECTS) is allocated to PBL projects. These projects are centered around the broad semester themes.
  • The PBL projects are implemented in groups of 4 to 6 persons and are guided by a project supervisor. 
  • The groups are often self-selected groups under the guidance of an appointed supervisor or a maximum of two supervisors. 
  • Two supervisors are required where there is a split in competence that will be of benefit to students.
  • At the end of the semester Students are assessed individually at end of each project to ascertain the knowledge and competence they have developed at the end of each semester. 

The PBL project runs from the start of the semester to the end of the semester. Based on the thematic framework,

  • Students in each PBL brainstorm ideas (open-ended questions) for projects
  • Based on their selected ideas, supervisor(s) with competence in the domain of the idea is assigned to the group
  • The students and supervisor sign a supervisor contract outlining the roles of both parties to the project.
  • The students develop a project management plan on how they will work and share this with the supervisor for guidance.
  • Based on the topic selected, they will draw knowledge from courses (picture1), self-studies, group studies, and in some cases industry collaboration to identify theories, methods, cases, etc. that will help them analyze and solve their problem.
  • Based on their project management plan, they will hold periodic meetings with the supervisor who will monitor and guide their progress. (picture 2)
  • The supervisor also monitors their progress based on agreed-upon periodic deliverables.
  •  At the end of the project, students deliver either reports, and or prototypes, for evaluation/examination.
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