Abstract:

Project-based and collaborative learning methodologies are increasingly recognized as effective approaches to bridge the gap between theoretical instruction and professional practice. In engineering education, exposing students to realistic design, modelling and analysis scenarios helps them develop not only technical knowledge but also problem-solving, teamwork, and decision-making skills. This is particularly relevant in final-year subjects, where students need to engage with real-world problems and gain a clearer understanding of professional engineering practice. This work presents the development of an integrated teaching methodology based on collaborative project-based learning implemented in courses within the Aerospace Engineering and Fluid Mechanics Department at the University of Seville.

The proposed methodology consists of developing an engineering project throughout the semester so that students experience a workflow similar to that of professional engineers. The teaching–learning process is supported by several types of educational materials, including theoretical units hosted on the Blackboard platform, tutorial and advanced learning videos recorded by course professors, and tools for continuous assessment and feedback. These resources are designed to facilitate both guided instruction and autonomous learning, while also supporting peer-assessment and self-assessment processes in which students evaluate their own performance and that of their teammates.

Several components of this approach, such as tutorial-based support and project-based learning, have previously been implemented independently in different courses within the department. The novelty of this work lies in integrating these elements into a unified pedagogical framework. The methodology is demonstrated by application on two distinct areas from Aerospace and Civil Engineering: Coastal Engineering and Helicopters. In the first case study, students work on a real study site where coastal management actions are required. During the course sessions, students develop, calibrate, and apply a hydrodynamic numerical model to simulate wave propagation, storm surges, and tidal conditions in order to estimate flood levels and identify policy or protection zones. In the second case study, students analyze helicopter rotor performance under the design parameters and operating conditions introduced in the theoretical lessons. Using aerodynamic models such as momentum theory and blade element theory, they develop computational tools to generate and interpret performance curves describing rotor behavior.

The proposed methodology will be implemented during the next academic year, after which student satisfaction surveys and comparisons of student grades with those of previous academic years will be conducted to evaluate its effectiveness and assess its potential extension to other final-year courses within the department’s degree programs.

Keywords:

Project-based learning, engineering education, experiential learning, collaborative problem solving.