Project Based Learning

Understanding PBL

Project-Based Learning (PBL) serves as the cornerstone of our interdisciplinary engineering curriculum, embodying our commitment to active, experiential education. It provides students with real-world, complex problems, cultivating practical skills and fostering innovative thinking essential for their future careers.

Purpose of PBL in IDE

Within IDE, PBL serves dual purposes. Firstly, it integrates subject-specific competencies acquired across various lectures attended by our students. By posing interdisciplinary problems, students apply knowledge from multiple engineering sciences to solve real-world challenges. Secondly, PBL is our chosen pedagogical method to develop method-specific, social, and personal competencies, complementing subject-specific knowledge acquired in disciplinary lectures. This comprehensive approach ensures students are prepared for the multifaceted demands of their future careers, in alignement with the ETH Competence Framework.

PBL Sub-Curriculum Structure

Our PBL sub-curriculum is designed to scaffold activities for an optimal learning experience. It begins with "learning-oriented projects," introducing new competencies through structured activities and input seminars. These activities, much shorter in duration, quickly facilitate learning opportunities and emphasize skill acquisition rather than solution design. Students then transition to "goal-oriented projects," tackling complex, interdisciplinary challenges with greater autonomy. These projects emphasize the application and deepening of method-specific, social, and personal competencies acquired earlier. The curriculum culminates in a bachelor thesis, where students showcase their proficiency in innovation within real-world contexts.