1 E-mail: Norman.Powell@manchester.ac.uk Using Enquiry-Based Learning to prepare Students for Group Work: Results of a follow-up evaluation N.J. Powell * 1 , R.G. Van Silfhout † and P.J. Hicks † * University of Manchester/Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning, Manchester, U.K. † University of Manchester/School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Manchester, U.K. Index Terms: Enquiry-Based Learning, Team Project. This paper reports on the evaluation of a second-year Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) activity designed to prepare students in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering for a group project, known as the Embedded Systems Project [1]. Enquiry-Based Learning is a student-centred, collaborative approach to learning, which allows the student to investigate discipline knowledge, whilst developing personal, professional and other transferable skills. It has been applied successfully in many contexts; there are many examples in the University of Manchester and more specifically in this particular School. However, this example of EBL has received very mixed reactions from students and staff, ranging from the very enthusiastic to extremely negative. As a response to these reactions the EBL activity has been adapted for each of the three years of its delivery. Previously, the rationale, development and evaluation of its first implementation have been presented [2], and more recently its development over three cycles delivery has been described [3]. An action research methodology [4] has been employed to investigate this activity through its successive implementations, and to inform its development. These evaluations have focused on the delivery and the perceptions of the students and staff during the activity. This paper focuses on the effectiveness of the EBL activity as perceived by the students and staff engaged with the embedded systems group project, which takes place in the second semester. Supervisors of the Embedded Systems Project, many of whom were engaged in the delivery of the EBL activity in the first semester, were interviewed regarding their perceptions of how the activity influenced students as they began to engage with the project. The students were approached in their laboratory sessions, towards the beginning of the project, to solicit their experiences and perceptions of how the preparatory activity has influenced their behaviour. These two perspectives were triangulated. It was found that students are developing the required generic and discipline-specific skills to aid them in the Embedded Systems Project. However, not all students are engaging sufficiently with the activity, owing in part to its being under credited. Suggestions for improving the activity are also made. I. INTRODUCTION A survey of employers, conducted by the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE, now the Institution of Engineering and Technology, IET) [5], highlighted a mismatch between the skills required by electronic engineers and the skills that graduates possessed. This finding is in line with those of similar studies and engineering educational reviews in both America and Australia [6]. These studies emphasise a lack of teamwork and communication skills. There has been debate about the most appropriate method of embedding these skills into the engineering curricula, whether Problem-Based Learning (PBL) or project- based learning approaches are more suitable [6][7]. This paper describes a development where these approaches are used to complement each other. PBL is used to provide a structured approach and framework to prepare students for project-based learning. A. Background This development takes place against a background of increased interest in Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) of which PBL and project-based learning are examples [8]. The University of Manchester was awarded a CETL (Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning) by HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England). CEEBL (Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning) [9] supports a number of projects across the University.