Upscaling Challenge Based Learning in an Ethics Course at TU/e

Project introduction and background information

TU Eindhoven starts with USE-courses (non-technical courses focusing on User-, Society- and Enterprise aspects of technology) in the first two years to stress that this is an indispensable part of engineering education. In a traditional format of lectures, tutorials and a multiple-choice exam at the end, first and second year’s students overall are only little motivated.

Objective and expected outcomes

After intensive research, TU/e decided to fundamentally redesign the basic course on ethics using flipped-classroom and challenge-based learning pilot for a group of 180 students.

Results and learnings

External partners (called clients in this course) are central in challenge-based learning. They provide the open-ended exercise the students are faced with.

Recommendations

Results show that intrinsic motivation, autonomy and competence are significantly higher in the co-creation case compared to the other approach not using challenge-based learning.