Using a Problem-Based Learning Approach to Incorporate Safety Engineering into Fundamental Subjects
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 142, Issue 2
Abstract
Safety is considered as an important area of engineering education, but it is often not addressed adequately in an engineering curriculum. Contents of safety engineering were incorporated in an introductory statistics course through the problem-based learning (PBL) approach. Novices were learning statistical contents via PBL problems from the field of safety engineering. They were divided in two groups according to the partial assessment option they chose: a group with classical assessment and a group with assessment of an independent PBL engineering problem that was designed in accordance with a campaign coordinated by a leading safety agency. In the problem, students analyzed the quality of installation of fire extinguishers in more than 200 buildings, as well as their maintenance. The aim of this study is to find out if the assessment of such a problem can be used to assess students’ holistic statistical knowledge, if students can get new insights in the field of safety engineering, and if such assessment suits the assessment criteria for accrediting engineering programs specified by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET criteria). Students’ questionnaires also gave information on the students’ perception of the difficulty of the PBL approach in both assessment options.
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Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank the teacher of fire safety engineering—Ph.D. Aleš Jug (Worcester Polytechnic Institute), who helped to design the IPEP and the questionnaire.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 142 • Issue 2 • April 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 27, 2015
Accepted: Aug 6, 2015
Published online: Oct 6, 2015
Discussion open until: Mar 6, 2016
Published in print: Apr 1, 2016
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