Abstract:

This work evaluates coordinated efforts across four third-year subjects of the Industrial Electronics and Automatic Engineering Degree: Discrete Control (DiC), Electrical Machines (EM), Digital Electronics Systems (DES), and Electronic Instrumentation (EI), implemented over three consecutive editions.

A quasi-experimental design was followed, comparing academic performance and student feedback across these editions to evaluate the impact of the coordination, which provides project-based learning (PBL) practices that transversally integrate shared theoretical and practical knowledge. Projects were updated annually to optimize interrelation and coordination.

Horizontal coordination reduced “knowledge islands” by integrating separate subjects into simple yet complete engineering problems, enhancing engineering thinking and student preparation.

Given differences in student levels, shared subjects across groups, and time constraints, professors must foster inter-level collaboration and individual study, especially when students have not yet completed prerequisite subjects.

In the first edition, three PBL projects were proposed, being: implementation of controllers for DC machines, in which the modeling, studied in EM, with the required instrumentation (EI) and the low-level programming skills (DES) converge in the implementation of discrete controllers in the DiC course.

Using the tools acquired in Project 1, the second PBL applies its models to wind turbine emulation, enabling further analysis. The third project reuses the control implementations from Project 1 within advanced DES applications, strengthening integration across the four subjects.

In the second edition, an additional practice automated open- and short-circuit (OC, SC) tests in induction motors, promoting deeper laboratory use and hands-on instrumentation and programming experience. It required signal filtering, modelling, processing, and data acquisition in noisy environments, expanding laboratory equipment usage.

In the third edition, intensity was reduced due to students’ academic load. Thus, OC and SC tests were conducted manually on two real machines three-phase transformers and induction motors. These models were later used in interactive simulations, leveraging multiple project perspectives to enhance students’ analytical and abstraction skills.

To adjust the different PBL activities, surveys were developed after each edition for a constructive modification of the proposed exercises towards next editions. In the first one, a favorable 4/5 grades were obtained in the survey. However, in the second edition, since the working load has increased, reduction of 3/5 was observed requiring modifications to solve this problem, which was held in the third edition with a grade 4,5/5.

Adjusting PBL across four engineering subjects over three consecutive editions yielded clear benefits. Aligning theory, lab competencies, and interdisciplinary projects reduced knowledge islands and gaps while fostering unified engineering thinking.

The unified activities strengthened students’ ability to transfer and apply knowledge across domains and realistic scenarios. Despite challenges from differing enrollment paths and uneven preparation, compensatory strategies led to greater engagement, deeper understanding, and improved readiness for complex applications.
These results confirm the academic value of sustained horizontal coordination to reinforce learning coherence and practical competence.

Keywords:

Horizontal Coordination, Project-Based Learning, Industrial Electronics Engineering, interactive practices.