Moving Beyond Traditions

Abstract

Student learning is built on native ability, prior preparation and experiences but also by the compatibility of his or her learning style and the instructor’s teaching style. Past research (Kolb, 1984; Felder & Silverman, 1988; Baillie & Moore, 2004; Biggs & Tang, 2007; Crawley, Malmqvist, Ostlund, & Brodeur, 2007) indicate mismatches between engineering students’ common learning styles and traditional teaching styles. This paper addresses a transition from a teacher centered approach to a collaborative student centered approach. A longitudinal study of bachelor thesis redesign is described by following the progression in three parallel courses over four consecutive years. Moving beyond the traditional practices of individual thesis writing, a strict individual assignment has been transformed where roughly 50% now originates from collective work efforts. Findings show support to a collective approach when working with bachelor thesis writing as work groups become self-governed, attached with a creative disposition, pursuing functioning knowledge, key generic skills of industrial relevance, and collectively supporting deep level learning.