Experience of Project-Based Learning for First-Year Engineering Students at GMIT

Abstract

This study introduces the experience of a project-based learning (PBL) approach for first-year engineering students at German-Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology (GMIT), Mongolia. The engineering project course at GMIT is the first-ever PBL experience for engineering curriculum in Mongolia and adapted from the engineering program at the Technical University of Darmstadt and has been implemented since 2014. It is dedicated to preparing students for gaining both technical and soft skills through PBL from the beginning of their engineering education. The questionnaire surveys are taken regularly during the course period from students to improve the course quality. The current study presents the analysis of questionnaire surveys done in 2019 and discusses the benefits and challenges of the course. The responses by students revealed that the implementation of the course was beneficial in improving teamwork. Suggestions based on the PBL are given to improve the effectiveness of engineering education in Mongolia.