Coimbra, Portugal September 3 – 7, 2007 International Conference on Engineering Education – ICEE 2007 Seeding Enquiry-Based Learning in Electrical and Electronic Engineering: Case Study 1 – Optoelectronics Norman J. Powell 1 , Anthony R. Peaker 2 , William S. Truscott 3 , Peter J. Hicks 4 , Brian Canavan 5 1 Norman J. Powell, Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, norman.powell@manchester.ac.uk 2 Anthony R. Peaker, School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, a.peaker@manchester.ac.uk 3 William S. Truscott, School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, w.truscott@manchester.ac.uk 4 Peter J. Hicks, School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, peter.hicks@manchester.ac.uk 5 Brian Canavan, Robert Clark Centre for Technological Education, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, b.canavan@elec.gla.ac.uk Abstract - Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) was developed in the third-year, Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) module Optoelectronic Devices and Systems. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an instance of EBL, where the students’ enquiry into a topic is triggered by an initial problem or scenario. This module begins with a PBL exercise, which covers display devices. The students are asked to imagine that they are a small company that is about to develop a new large screen High Definition Television (HDTV) consumer product for the market in a few years. This links enquiry into existing and emerging display technologies with the specification and standards for HDTV. It also requires the students to project market trends and technological advances into the near future. Key decisions in the design of the scenario, consideration of the learning environment and the form of assessment are described, emphasising flexibility in approach and sensitivity to the context of this development. This development is in the second year of its delivery. The results of an integrative evaluation, drawing on questionnaires, participant observation, student focus groups and discussions with staff, will be presented. The varying experiences of three groups will be presented, highlighting the impact of both internal and external factors. Index Terms – Electronic Engineering, Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL), Optoelectronics, Problem-Based Learning (PBL). INTRODUCTION The development of professional and personal skills in engineering students is becoming increasingly important. A recent survey of employers, conducted by the IET (Institution for Engineering and Technology) [1], highlighted a mismatch between the skills required by electronic engineers and the skills that graduates possessed. This finding is in line with similar studies and engineering education reviews in both America and Australia [2]. PBL is an instance of EBL [3], where the students’ enquiry into a topic is triggered by an initial problem or scenario. The students following in this enquiry engage in the subject matter at a much deeper level, whilst gaining professional, personal and life-long learning skills in a process integrated with their core subject learning [4]. This paper and its companion paper (Case Study 2 – Robotics) report on some of the teaching and learning developments that arose at the University of Manchester, from a collaborative PBL initiative with University College London and the University of Bristol, supported by the IET [1] and HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England). In Manchester, PBL has been introduced into three third-year units, in the areas of VLSI design [5], Optoelectronics and Robotics, and also as part of the second-year tutorial system as a preparation for a team project [6]. This paper describes the context of the module, and the implementation of a PBL exercise into it. It then describes the evaluation of the PBL exercise drawing out the experience of three groups of students. There then follows a discussion of the issues arising from this experience. IMPLEMENTATION Context Optoelectronics Devices and Systems is an optional, 10-credit, third-year, second-semester module delivered through lectures with problem-solving tutorials delivered towards the end of the module as preparation for the examination. The contact time for the module is two 50- minute sessions per week. The summative exam represents 75% of the module. The remaining 25% of the module is taken up by a written assignment. The module is divided into two main sections: display technologies and communication systems. The former is a descriptive review and the latter a more quantitative treatment of the science and technology, representing the major portion of the module. Scenario In many respects the components for a PBL were already in place: the more descriptive display technologies theme combined with the individual report. Display technologies provided an accessible and motivating topic for enquiry, since television is a very tangible component of people’s everyday experience. Also the diversity of display technologies, the development of new technologies and the