Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, ERIES JOURNAL

During the last decade, a total of three student satellites have been developed by engineering students in a Problem and Project-Based Learning (PBL) environment at Aalborg University (AAU), Denmark. As solving such a complex project, we emphasize that a high level of motivation is needed for the students. Thus some efforts have been done on project management style with this aim. However, it is necessary continuous to discuss this issue from the students’ perspective for a better PBL environment. This leads to the research question of how the students perceive their motivation in developing satellite projects in a PBL environment. Empirically, a total of 12 student participants were interviewed. The results show that students’ motivation is highly stimulated by the project management with a series of factors, such as the task characteristics, support of peers, help of supervisors, and openness, etc. However, the time schedule is a barrier to motivation. Thus, the supervisors are suggested to be more aware of the complex relationships between student, teacher, tasks and the students’ response.

This paper aims to develop a new model of Project-Based Instructional Taxonomy (PBIT) that provides a tool of course design that facilitates Computational Thinking (CT) development as creative action in solving real-life problems. Theoretically, PBIT is built on an integrative framework bringing together with studies on CT education, creativity, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Project-Based Instruction (PBI). This guides the course design to make alignment between diverse elements including education objectives, categories of CT, levels of learning ability, process of project facilitation, and methods of grading. A case will be discussed that focuses on a course Deep Learning and Technologies in AI bachelor program at Northeastern University (NEU) in China. It also shows how PBIT is applied in teaching practice that benefits students’ CT development. As the conclusion indicates, this paper has contributions to future research on creativity, PBI, CT, and AI education.

Interdisciplinary research, which aims to solve practical issues in the realm of industrial applications, has emerged as a key trend in the current transformation of knowledge production mode, creating a new type of educational strategy to match. Problem-based Learning (PBL) is a teaching paradigm that emphasizes the practical orientation and application qualities of a college education. Northeastern University's Resources and Environment department arose from the need to address complicated environmental challenges. It has inherent interdisciplinary characteristics and bears the social duty of sustainable development. The discipline seeks to link "Practical Cognition" with "Disciplinary Logic," as well as realign the "target-content-method" of education to meet current demands. The teaching-learning practice tries to correspond to the professional training goals and the student's capability output through the reform and practice of a divisional level with the PBL method, integration of multidisciplinary and industrial resources, carrying out teaching-learning activities based on interdisciplinary theory and PBL principles, improving students' transformative skills, and rebuilding sustainable social responsibilities.