A Case Study of Problem-Based Learning from a Civil Engineering Structural Analysis Course

An undergraduate degree in engineering requires students to not only be proficient in engineering knowledge but also acquire comprehensive skills such as independent learning ability, strong communication skills, social knowledge, and innovative thinking. Therefore, problem-based learning (PBL), which is a student-centered approach, is getting wide recognition among academicians in institutions of higher education. PBL is one of the learning strategies in which students are guided by instructors through problem solving and develop additional generic skills and attributes, apart from the content-specific knowledge and skills that they require. This paper presents a case study of PBL in the subject of Structural Analysis and evaluates its effectiveness and acceptance by students. The main objective was to see how students evaluate this initiative and its learning potential to achieve the educational goals set for the course. For this, a closed-ended questionnaire survey was distributed among current students of civil engineering focusing on different aspects of PBL in the Structural Analysis course. The results of the questionnaire survey indicated that PBL, though time-consuming, is seen as effective, relevant, and motivating, which promotes independent learning among engineering students. Therefore, it is recommended that the implementation of similar PBL techniques be promoted by academicians for students' lifelong learning.