Improving students´ project management skills in biomedical engineering projects

Abstract

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a model in which learning opportunities are organized around projects. Projects are complex tasks that are based on challenging questions or subjects that involve the students in design, problem-solving, decision making, or investigative activities. In regard to students in Higher Education Institutions (HEI), dealing with projects means an opportunity to work almost autonomously over extended periods of time. In PBL, the project is the central teaching strategy. Students encounter and learn the central concepts of the discipline by means of the project. Earlier studies suggested the Project Management (PM) skills are core to the leadership attributes of engineers. Some interrelated research streams are available for an understanding of the challenges in teaching and learning both engineering and PM education. The need to teach and learn PM in engineering schools has been advanced by employers. Today, organizations expect engineers to excel in many soft skills, including teamwork and communication. They are keen to tap into these vital soft skills that they obtained during their studies and periods of work experience, rather than just degree-specific knowledge. In this study, an integrative PBL approach is presented. It is used in two courses devoted to the biomedical engineering field, namely "Bioengineering Design" and "MedTech", included in the Master's Degree in Industrial Engineering and in the Master's Degree in Engineering Management, respectively, both at the ETSI Industriales from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. These courses follow a framework completely aligned with the spirit of the International CDIO Initiative. Students from both courses collaborate in teams and live through the complete project life cycle of innovative medical devices. The PBL approach applied is aimed to allow students to learn basic PM skills such as technical, business, and human ones. From the beginning of the courses, students are provided with specific knowledge, tools, and exercises to improve their capabilities for building strong teams and achieving their project goals. By integrating PM deliverables (scope, time, cost, risk, quality and communication management) with team development strategies (team agreement, personality identification, competencies assessment, teambuilding, roles definition, and personal interviews) and specific soft skills workshops it has been possible to provide an effective learning experience for improving students PM skills. Main results, difficulties, benefits, and conclusions of the experience are presented in this work as well as lessons learned for the continuous improvement for the next courses.