Key Skills Exemplified

• Working with Others
  
• Communication - verbal and written
  
• Learning to Learn
  
• Problem Solving
  
• IT
  
• Numeracy (where appropriate)

Description

A level three module, in which students from different courses work together in groups on a major project titled, Product Engineering.

Rationale

The assimilation of core technical, design, management and key skills is important in many industrial environments. An exercise that incorporates commercial industrial application of all skills and competencies developed within the degree programme illustrates the relevance of academic knowledge and the necessity of applying key skills.

Objectives

• To combine academic and key skill development.
  
• To develop team working skills and recognise the role of the individual within a team.
  
• To practice presenting information as written reports and verbally.
  
• To understand the interdependency of fibre process and product properties.
  
• To understand impact of variations in the product in terms of economics, performance and 'fit for purpose'.

Implementation

• Lectures are given on the key technologies and fundamentals relating to product engineering.
  
• This involves a number of academic staff and guest speakers from industry.
  
• Students are assigned to interdisciplinary groups from several programmes/courses of the same level of study.
  
• The groups are asked to undertake the project based on a written brief.
  
• They are fully briefed on the module objectives and mechanisms of group and individual working.
  
• This culminates in a written report and a formal presentation.

The Student

• Improve core skills.
  
• Develop confidence and experience in the product engineering process.
  
• Gain experience of working in an interdisciplinary team environment.
  
• Develop an understanding of the relationships between process and properties of textile materials.
  
• Develop a specialist understanding of a technical area.
  
• Develop contacts with external industrialists or companies.
  
• Provides evidence of key skills for future employment.

The Lecturer

• Promotes and allows development of student-centred learning.
  
• Provides increased opportunities for small group working and tutorials.
  
• Provides opportunities for wider discussions with industrialists.
  
• Can be a vehicle for initiating/implementing/developing research.

The Institution

• Improved student employability.
  
• Improved relationships with the textile industry.
  
• Opportunity to integrate industrial practice with the teaching programme.

Drawbacks for:

The Student

• Students need to take responsibility/ownership of the project, which can be a stressful process.
  
• Can be difficulties with "sleeping" team members and group dynamics.

The Lecturer

• Large contact time is required.
  
• Effective monitoring of students progress may be difficult because of the multiple groups involved.

The Institution

• A resource issue with large amounts of staff contact time required from appropriately experienced staff with relevant industrial contacts.

Evidence of Impact

Student feedback is collected formally at the end of the module. This has always been positive and is reflected by the 'buzz' generated throughout the process.

Evaluation

This is a 'star learning experience' as expressed by the students. The quality of reports is consistently high and there is a great sense of achievement on completion of the exercise. The impact of the module on the individual student is generally marked by the students more mature approach to subsequent assignments.

The exercise evolves with different student groups. The module is updated annually to monitor appropriateness and to include advances in technology. It is refined as necessary.

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