Application of Problem-Based Learning in an Engineering Course

The usual way of learning technical knowledge about a microcontroller (MCU) is by reading relevant handbooks and textbooks. This method requires students to memorize many technical terms and usually ignores its actual application of the data. In this paper, a new approach is proposed using the problem-based learning technique to convey such engineering knowledge. A creative group project was designed for the class whereby students were required to develop their own way of designing a calculator using MCU. Throughout the project, they acquired self-learning techniques to tackle new problems. Moreover, problem-based learning provided students with a cooperative learning environment to enhance their learning capabilities.