Abstract:

Engineering education in Poland has been based for many years mainly on traditional methods. Most of the subjects are taught using “teaching by telling” approach assisted with guided projects and demonstrations in laboratories. This teaching methods have been effective for many years improving national statistics in the context of the number of graduates. However, at some universities the number of candidates for studies has been constantly decreasing within last ten years. Universities now face an important challenge of making technical studies more attractive to new generations of students. One of the ways to do so is modification of the content of courses with more emphasise on practical aspects and development of skills rather than theory.

This paper discusses challenges and presents initial results of introducing pedagogical innovations into the course of Energy System Engineering. As design and operation of energy conversion plants and systems is a complex task it is very challenging to devise an attractive, practice based course that would involve real machinery and devices. Typically at the university level mathematical modelling is used, that can be drive attention of students onto learning software tools rather than the proper subject. Therefore, as the remedy a mixed approach has been selected that assumes gradual implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Case Teaching Method (CTM) into courses on Energy Engineering at Silesian University of Technology at Gliwice, Poland. As a part of a pedagogical evolution activities started within the KIC InnoEnergy programme carried out at the University new teaching methods are being investigated and gradually introduced to courses.

Keywords:

Teaching methods, engineering education, case teaching, project based learning.