Karel de Grote University College: Building a Solar Boat - PART 1 - Project Description

Friday, 21 May 2010 | Leadership in Engineering

The Wall Street Journal Europe Future Leadership Institute invited students from Karel de Grote University College (KdG), Antwerp, Belgium, to write about their experiences building a solar boat. Dieter Vertessen, lector at KdG, then created a writing project bringing students from the department of Commercial Sciences and Business Management together with the students of the department of Science and Technology. The business management students began to report on the engineering project....

Building a solar boat: students, supervisors and assessment

Building a solar boat for a master thesis is an excellent example of what educationalists call "project-based learning". It is nothing new, but it is gaining in popularity, especially in further professional education. This type of learning activity gives the students additional value in their search for the right job. In exchange they do have to invest more time in their project, more than students who work on a thesis in a more traditional way. Coordinating this type of learning requires also an extra effort from the educational institution.

Master thesis

A master thesis is the most important part of higher education. The students write a paper based on their own research and knowledge. For them it should be the crowning glory of their educational career. Most students, however, choose a subject, rush to a library, spend a few weeks reading and produce a paper. Time consuming for sure, but merely satisfying the less ambitious students.

The Department of Science and Technology at Karel de Grote University College offers its students the possibility to undertake a more challenging master thesis. As a result, eight students have teamed up to build a solar boat and will take part in the Frisian Solar Challenge.

Motivation

The idea to participate in the Frisian Solar Challenge came two years ago from a group of professors. According to Walter Janssens, one of the supervisors, participating in the race constitutes a great opportunity to initiate students in project-based learning. "The students have to work on a real project  they are responsible for from the very beginning to the very end. As they are working on renewable energy, they also learn to aim for both technological perfection and sustainability. This focus is interesting as Karel de Grote University College wants to integrate sustainability throughout the formation of their engineers. "

This kind of project is very demanding for students. They have to give their all. Every day, weekends included, they have to answer emails, take telephone calls and work out the structure of the boat. Even during their exam periods it is necessary for them to work on the project. Friends and lovers get less attention. An illustrative comment from a teammate's girlfriend, posted on the team's blog: "Boat Boat Boat, that's the only thing he is talking about nowadays." Nevertheless, putting together the team did not cause any difficulties.

Dedication

You may wonder why these students are crazy enough to spend such a great part of their time on this project. We asked educationalist Fabry Manuca at Karel de Grote University College: "The key factor is higher motivation. The authenticity of this learning experience is very high, which may lead to more effective learning. Furthermore, this type of learning does not only involve mastering techniques and building knowledge, students also learn to work together. This project is no mere simulation of reality, it is reality." Through project-based learning, students learn to take responsibility: the smallest mistake can make a mess of things. No one wants to disappoint the other team members.

The students think about the race as well. The official goal is to sail the race, but beating the other university colleges would be wonderful. The competitive nature of the project makes the participants more motivated, more willing to invest time.

Teamwork

Only if teamwork goes smoothly  can a project be a success. The supervisors strategically divided the project team into smaller groups. Every group is responsible for the execution of one part of the boat: propeller and strategy, telecommunication, electronics and hull. One student supervises the project and is responsible for planning and PR.

Teamwork is at the core of project-based learning, but also carries its greatest risk. Fabry Manuca: "Things that go unexpectedly wrong, or unequal distribution of work, can lead to disappointment or can have a negative effect on group dynamics."  What, for example, if the students cannot agree on the type of hull? What if someone wants to give up the project a few months before the deadline? Fortunately, this has never happened yet.

Coaching

Even though it is a real life project, the goal for the students is to learn. Therefore, it is important  that they can get assistance from their teachers. Every six weeks there is a solar team meeting with students and supervisors.  Students report on their progress and debate difficult choices. The supervisors answer questions and give tips.

On the other hand, it is essential for a project that the supervisors remain somewhat in the background. Walter Janssens, supervisor of the project: "We guide our students throughout this experience and help wherever possible. But it is equally important  that we offer the students the opportunity to make their own decisions. The degree of guidance is very high in the beginning of the project, but is rapidly reduced. After a while the project automatically speeds up as students start to take more and more responsibility."

Assessment

In our educational  system evaluation is based on grades. But how can students be graded for the solar boat project? One thing is certain: the outcome of the race has no influence on the grades the students get. Supervisor Janssens: "The quality of the development of the boat is much more important than the race itself. It would also be very unfair that students would fail  because of a stupid steering error." And as the race takes place in July, most students are already looking for a job.

Grading is based on a written report and an oral presentation. Like all other master students, the students have to write a paper. In this report they have to explain why specific decisions have been made. For example, why did they choose a monohull over a catamaran? Which electronic components did they install and for what reason? As every team member is responsible for his own decisions and the results afterwards, just as in real life, everyone is assessed separately. Finally, the solar team has to present and defend their report before a jury.  They have to be able to cope with a barrage of questions.

And what about the grades of these project students? Janssens: "On average their grades are higher. I think that is not because we are grateful and generous with points. The only reason is that these students are very motivated, and that pays off. Their project is better-founded than the average master thesis."

Sara Spies and Linde Scholiers are second-year students at Karel de Grote University College, Antwerp, Belgium. They are pursuing a bachelor degree in Office Management (International Management Assistant).

 

Sara Spies           Linde Scholiers