CORRELATION STUDY BETWEEN THE PERFORMANCE IN DIFFERENT ENGINEERING COURSES AND PROJECT-BASED COURSES

CORRELATION STUDY BETWEEN THE PERFORMANCE IN DIFFERENT ENGINEERING COURSES AND PROJECT-BASED COURSES

S. Bermejo, R. Bragós, F. Rey, J. Pegueroles (2023).  CORRELATION STUDY BETWEEN THE PERFORMANCE IN DIFFERENT ENGINEERING COURSES AND PROJECT-BASED COURSES. 793-804.

In a previous study, already published (Bragós, 2022), we analyzed the correlation between the University access mark to the engineering studies with the grades obtained in project-based courses and in non-project-based standard courses. A lower correlation with the capstone course performance (R=0.3) than the one obtained with the average of the other courses (R=0.6) was obtained. Probably as a result of the fact that a different kind of skills are promoted in these courses. In this paper, we have changed and extended the scope of the correlation study. We used as a reference of the students’ performance index the individual average marks in the 1st year basic courses. Then we obtained the correlation with different categories of courses of our engineering program: theoretical/practical, mandatory/elective, by disciplines, and the Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Product Development Project (PDP) courses. This is, using internal indicators instead of the access mark, which has an external origin, and improving the granularity of the study. We have analyzed four consecutive cohorts that have completed a coherent set of subjects, n=762 students. We have classified the subjects (40 courses per student in average) in the categories aforementioned. They are compared with the performance in two “classic” PBL courses and a capstone PDP course. There is also a final Engineering bachelor thesis which is usually performed individually in companies or research labs. The very abridged results of the study display differences even higher that the ones obtained with the access mark. The three groups of non-project standard courses show a higher correlation among them (R=0.84 Basic to Mandatory-Disciplinary; R=0.69 Basic to Elective-Disciplinary) that when comparing the Basic courses with the PBL courses (R=0.59) or with the capstone PDP course (a very weak correlation with R=0.26). The complete set of cross-correlations among the categories is displayed in the paper. Like in the study about the correlation with the access mark, the main conclusion is the evidence that there is a remarkable set of students which have difficulties in the standard courses, with a higher analytic content but can perform very well in the project-based courses. Therefore, a different kind of skills are promoted in these courses. This is, in our opinion, a positive result because these students can find a place to stand out. It enhances their self-confidence and their perception of a potentially good performance in their future career.

Authors (New): 
Sandra Bermejo
Ramon Bragós
Francesc Rey
Josep Pegueroles
Pages: 
793-804
Affiliations: 
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
Keywords: 
Project-Based Learning
Product Development Project
Correlation Study
CDIO Standard 5
Year: 
2023
Reference: 
Berglund, F., Johannesson, H., & Gustafsson, G. (2007). Multidisciplinary project-based product development learning in collaboration with industry. Proceedings of the 3rd International CDIO Conference, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. : 
Bragós, R., Aoun,L., Charosky, G., Bermejo, S., Rey, F., & Pegueroles, J. (2022). Correlation study between the access mark and the performance in project-based and standard subjects. Proceedings of the 50th Annual Conference of The European Society for Engineering Education 19-22 September, Barcelona, Spain.: 
Crawley, E. F., Lucas, W. A., Malmqvist, J., & Brodeur, D. R. (2011). The CDIO Syllabus v2. 0 An Updated Statement of Goals for Engineering Education, Proceedings of the 7th International CDIO Conference, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen.: 
Dym, C. L., Agogino, A. M., Eris, O., Frey, D. D., & Leifer, L. J. (2005) Engineering Design Thinking, Teaching, and Learning. Journal of Engineering Education, 94 (1), 103-120. : 
García-Escudero, D., Bardí-Milà, B., Fayos, F., & Valls, F. (2022). Course clustering based on the phylogenic tree of students’ grades in architectural degree. Proceedings of the 50th Annual Conference of The European Society for Engineering Education, Barcelona, Spain.: 
Hallin, A. & Hansson, C. (2012) Industrial Involvement in Engineering Education and Industrial Structural Change. Proceedings of the 8th International CDIO Conference, Queensland University of Technology, Canada.: 
Hoffman, H.F. (2014), The Engineering Capstone Course, Springer, New York.: 
Mejtoft, T. (2015). Industry based projects and cases: a CDIO approach to students’ learning. Proceedings of the 11th International CDIO Conference, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China.: 
Newman‐Ford, L., Lloyd, S., & Thomas, S. (2009), An investigation in the effects of gender, prior academic achievement, place of residence, age and attendance on first‐year undergraduate attainment, Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 1(1), 14-28.: 
Price, A., Salehi, S., Burkholder, E., Kim, C., Isava, V., Flynn, M., & Wieman, C. (2022). An accurate and practical method for assessing science and engineering problem-solving expertise. International Journal of Science Education, 44(13), 2061-2084.: 
Putwain, D., Sander, P., & Larkin, D. (2013), Academic self‐efficacy in study‐related skills and behaviours: Relations with learning‐related emotions and academic success. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 83(4), 633-650.: 
Rouvrais, S., Jacovetti, G., Chantawannakul, P., Suree, N., & Bangchokdee, S. (2020) University-industry collaboration themes in stem higher education: a euro-asean perspective. Proceedings of the 16th International CDIO Conference, hosted on-line by Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.: 
Surgenor, B., Mechefske, C., Wyss, U. & Pelow, J. (2005). Capstone Design - Experience with Industry Based Projects. Proceedings of the 1st Annual CDIO Conference. Queen’s University. Kingston, Canada.: 
Thomson, G., Prince, M., McLening, C. & Evans C. (2012). A comparison between different approaches to industrially supported projects. Proceedings of the 8th International CDIO Conference, QUT, Brisbane, Australia.: 
Topping, T., Murphy, M. (2022). Characterisation of Effective Delivery and Supervision of Capstone Projects. Proceedings of the 18th International CDIO Conference, hosted by Reykjavik University, Reykjavik Iceland.: 
Wieman, C. (2019). Expertise in University Teaching & the Implications for Teaching Effectiveness, Evaluation & Training. DAEDALUS 148 (4), 47–78.: 
Go to top