A Research Review on Major Variables in PBL Designs of Engineering Courses

Problem-based learning (PBL) in engineering education has been implemented in various ways. The wide range of PBL methods sometimes creates difficulties in implementing PBL. The purpose of this study was to identify the major variables that a teacher considers in PBL designs for an engineering course and suggest specific PBL methods according to the PBL design variables. This study was conducted using a review research method involving 21 studies from a range of engineering education fields. The results showed that the major variables that engineering professors need to consider when applying PBL are the authenticity of the PBL problem and the method of providing knowledge or information that the learners must know to solve the given problem. Based on the two variables identified, the following four types of PBL methods for engineering education are suggested: 1) lecture-based problem, 2) guided problem-based learning, 3) problem-based learning and 4) co-op problem-based learning.