THE USE OF PROJECT BASED LEARNING AS A FIRST YEAR INTEGRATED TEACHING AND LEARNING MEDIUM

This paper describes how the “Mechanical Engineering Design & Professional Skills” module, offered at the First Year of Mechanical Engineering course at Taylor’s University College, was used as a centrepiece to integrate the entire curricula. This is achieved through the introduction of a carefully selected design project that ensured students use the knowledge developed in other modules to complete. The design project described herewith is the design, construction and testing of a circulating water channel similar to that’s used by Prandtl. The “Mechanical Engineering Design & Professional Skills” proved a very useful platform to integrate the curricula. Students’ involvement and enthusiasm was obvious throughout the semester.