Problem-Based Learning: A Case Study Demonstrating the Benefits of a Post-Freshman Summer Invention Program on Thermal Fluid Sciences Engagement and Professional Development

Abstract

Project-based learning (PBL) is a popular pedagogical strategy used in engineering education to improve students’ engagement, understanding, and soft skills. The thermal fluid sciences (TFS), including thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer, are infamously challenging core engineering subjects. TFS is traditionally taught through lectures, problem sets, and small projects starting in the second or third year of engineering curricula. However, pure PBL is often reserved for after students have completed the traditional courses. This case study follows a student who experienced a reversed pedagogy, wherein pure PBL instead of traditional lectures drove TFS education. In a summer invention program after the principal student’s first year, he invented a novel door fan that improved air circulation between adjacent rooms, even with the connecting door closed. He used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate his invention. He then enrolled in a formal CFD class in his second year without taking prerequisite TFS courses. Afterward, the student enhanced the CFD simulations of his invention and wrote a technical paper on his results. This case study analyzes the pros and cons of the reversed pedagogy and the early timing of pure PBL through the principal student’s experience.