Project-Based Learning and Collaboration: The Next Stage of Engineering Education
Teachers are creating a new kind of classroom by utilizing cutting-edge solutions, customized learning resources and an active online community of experts.
The 21st Century Needs a New Kind of Education Experience
The world is becoming multidisciplinary. With products evolving to become more sustainable and circular, companies are now investing in technologies and solutions to speed up products' time-to-market, reduce costly prototypes and improve material usage. It’s no wonder that industries are on the hunt for skilled engineers who can work in a collaborative environment.
As the real world becomes more complex and multifaceted, our engineering knowledge and expertise can no longer be ‘sufficient’ or ‘good enough.’ It's a bold new world that requires a new generation of interdisciplinary engineers ready to break the mold.
But are our students well-equipped for the challenge?
At present, the numbers are asking for more to be done. In the US, 53% of employers struggle to find the right talent, and 61% of graduates say they need to develop or strengthen their digital skills.1 Meanwhile, only 1 in 10 of India's engineering graduates are expected to land a job.2 Things are equally as concerning in the EU, with more than 75% of companies reporting difficulties getting workers with the appropriate skill set.3
But herein lies the potential for change. Teachers can shift the status quo and create a new kind of classroom. With Dassault Systèmes' Education Experience and 3DEXPERIENCE® CATIA, teachers can transform their processes into a new, industry-realistic learning environment that pushes students to think outside the box.
Intrigued? Let’s take a peek into what’s possible.
A New Kind of Engineering Classroom
Part 1: Real-Time Learning
Theories alone aren't going to cut it. Teachers trying to keep their students engaged want something more immersive. There's a shortcut for that — an engineering platform that brings the industry’s cutting-edge technology and best practices straight into the classroom in real time. Thanks to the virtual twin and 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA, students get a front-row seat at the future of engineering — and experience how the industry really works.
Part 2: Customized Education
Teachers barely have the time or the resources to keep their courses, lesson plans and capstone projects up-to-date. So why not get a helping hand in creating the learning materials? With our Education Experience, teachers can rapidly tap into the collective intelligence of engineers and experts to create their own customized learning plans and deliver future-proof education to their students.
Part 3: Global Collaboration
The teaching experience isn't just about lesson plans and projects. It's about project-based learning (PBL) — working together across disciplines while acquiring hands-on knowledge beyond the activities taught in class. Thanks to our Education Experience, this collaboration is possible on a scale and speed never seen before through a global online community of industry leaders, peers and experts discussing and sharing industry best practices.
With 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA, the virtual twin (that provides a digital replica of the real world) and our new Education Experience, teachers can quickly and efficiently incorporate industry best practices and knowledge into the classroom. They are now fully equipped to shape the next generation of game-changers — and a new generation of multidisciplinary engineers ready to take on an increasingly complex future.
How Teachers Can Develop Tomorrow’s Game-Changers
With our new Education Experience, supported by the virtual twin technology, teachers are creating a new classroom — and a new generation of multidisciplinary engineers ready to take on an increasingly complex future.
A New Education Experience with Dassault Systèmes and 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA: Frequently Asked Questions
The virtual twin is a digital representation of real-world systems or processes shown at scale. Its industry-realistic nature allows students to visualize, model and simulate the entire environment of a sophisticated experience. Virtual twins facilitate sustainable business innovation across the full product lifecycle. With 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA, students get opportunities to experiment with different design approaches and analyze design consequences within a safe, virtual environment.
3DEXPERIENCE CATIA offers a more organized and integrated environment that expands the capabilities of CATIA V5. It is an engineering platform that enables collaboration, remote work, data integration and product lifecycle management (PLM) within one virtual environment. Rather than having to juggle various applications across disciplines, students will now be able to work on their projects using a unified platform with an integrated user interface. This approach mirrors industry practices, allowing them to follow the complete product lifecycle from design to manufacturing within the same environment.
3DEXPERIENCE CATIA retains all of the classic features from CATIA V5 such as Part Design, Assembly Design and Generative Shape Design. These features are paired with new capabilities that encourage a multidisciplinary approach to engineering such as Dynamics Analysis, Structural and Fluidic Simulation, Generative Design and Additive Manufacturing. Users of CATIA V5 will be able to easily migrate their existing data to 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA and pick up where they left off.
3DEXPERIENCE CATIA will empower students to:
- Succeed in complex designs with extreme accuracy and performance even when they work on heavy models
- Learn new surfacing capabilities that can unlock new pathways to innovation
- Reuse geometry and explore innovative iterations quickly and easily through design automation
- Design products by taking manufacturability constraints into account from the start
- Integrate project-based learning (PBL) by collaborating seamlessly and efficiently with their colleagues or with the teacher
- Incorporate PLM into their learning by emphasizing the importance of stakeholder integration at every phase of product development, from 3D modeling to simulation and production
When it comes to computer-aided design (CAD) and engineering software, CATIA has by far the most significant market share in the field. More than 22,000 companies across multiple industries design their products using CATIA. 90% of cars in the world are engineered with CATIA. An airplane designed with CATIA takes off every 2.5 seconds. Simply put, CATIA is a must-have solution that gives industries a competitive advantage. Engineers proficient in CATIA have seen a 20% to 50% gain in productivity.
Project-based learning is a hands-on, project-based approach that gives students a chance to learn by doing rather than through traditional lectures. Powered by the virtual twin, project-based learning using 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA will encourage students to think beyond the confines of a classroom by conceiving, designing, implementing and operating complex systems and processes in a team-based environment.
Consequently, students can learn faster, expand their knowledge base and focus on solving critical problems and projects in a real-world environment. As the learning process speeds up, they also become more engaged and motivated in their studies.
References
1 "Artificial Intelligence Enters the Workforce: Cengage Group’s 2023 Employability Report Exposes New Hiring Trends, Shaky Graduate Confidence" by Cengage (July 2023)
2 "Just 1 in 10 engg grads to land a job" by The Times of India (December 2023)
3 "Towards 2023: the European Year of Skills" by the European Union (November 2022)
New Classrooms in Action
Some of the world's most visionary learning institutions are reaping the benefits of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Discover how teachers and students are working together to realize a better tomorrow.
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