Industry capstone projects as a vehicle for faculty development

Abstract

There is a trend in Engineering education pedagogy focus from problem-based learning to project-based learning. An impediment to this shift in Engineering Education lies in faculty preparation. Strategies to help faculty develop skills while they are working is essential to providing project-based learning activities within engineering programs. Interviews conducted suggest that senior projects are a valuable steppingstone for faculty that initially have no real-world experience in engineering or manufacturing. Allowing faculty to participate in these projects allow them to create industrial contacts and see the skill sets their graduates will be using. The projects provide faculty credibility to the students because they are working with them to solve a common problem. Finally, the paper provides best practices in the senior project program as well as the roles and responsibilities of the faculty, students, and industrial partners that participate in it.