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Teaching plumbing systems design: problem based learning

Abstract

The scope and complexity of plumbing systems design have been increasing over the years, so it is necessary for undergraduate students to develop analytical skills. Besides, certain characteristics of today's youngsters, especially their difficulty to focus for longer periods of time, make lectures less effective when it comes to building knowledge. This paper evaluates the use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in two disciplines of the undergraduate course in Civil Engineering related to the building systems. Problem situations were proposed for program content development in the semesters under study. The PBL application was evaluated through collective interviews and questionnaires applied to students and professors, as were the marks obtained by the students in the proposed activities. The results indicate some resistance on the part of the students to taken on a proactive attitude in their learning without prior study and dependency on the professor during the activities. The students' high workload contributed to this result. Hence, it is important to rethink the undergraduate course as a whole, preferentially in an interdisciplinary way, rather than just applying teaching-learning strategies in isolated subjects. In addition, it is necessary to develop strategies that motivate and help students in prior study and preparation.

Keywords:
Teaching; Learning; Plumbing systems; Problem-based learning; PBL

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