The CDIO Approach

In the CDIO approach, the organizing principle for an integrated curriculum is the model indicated in Fig. 4.3, with mutually supporting disciplines interwoven with projects and skills. This curriculum structure promotes the learning of disciplinary content and allows several flexible structures for integrating project work and design-implement experiences. 

In summary, in a program that has adopted the CDIO approach, the criteria of success are the CDIO Standards. A program is considered successful if it can show evidence that the program components described in the standards are in place. Different stakeholder groups will emphasize subsets of the CDIO Standards, but aU standards are important measures for at least one stakeholder group. In a later section of this chapter, we give examples of ways to document the extent to which each of the key evaluation questions has been answered in representative CDIO programs. We now examine a variety of methods to collect reliable and valid evaluation data. 

In terms of processes, there are numerous options available with the most effective focusing on active learning strategies. Figure 2 illustrates some well documented pedagogic approaches that have been adopted into curriculum delivery. They include problem and project based learning (PEL), project centred curricula (PCC) and Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate (CDIO) approaches. 

Vest, C. M. (2007). Educating engineers for 2020 and beyond. In E. F. Crawley, J. Malmqvist, S. Ostlund, D. Brodeur (Eds.), Rethinking engineering education The CDIO approach. New York Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 

The CDIO approach meets this challenge by educating students as well-rounded engineers who understand how to Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate complex, value-added engineering products, processes, and systems in a modem, team-based environment. The approach addresses three overall goals. 

We have written this book to serve as an introduction to the CDIO approach. It is a practical guide with enough information to acquaint you with the high-level rationale, philosophy, and key ideas, and how they have evolved in a historical and societal context. The book points to more detailed resources that are contained in other publications, in workshops, and on the web. 

The CDIO approach suggests a pathway for engineering education to meet this underlying need. The approach is built on three premises, which reflect its goals, vision, and pedagogical foundation ... 

This chapter outlines the key features of the CDIO approach, beginning with a detailed discussion of the need, goals, vision, and pedagogical foundation, first addressed in Chap. 1. The structure of this first section serves as the framework for... 

Explain the need, goals, vision, and pedagogical foundation of a CDIO approach... 

The CDIO approach has three overall goals To educate students who are able to... 

In order to resolve this tension, we have developed a systematic vision for engineering education that encompasses the entire educational program. The CDIO approach envisions an education that stresses the fundamentals, set in the context of conceiving-designing-implementing-operating products, processes, and systems. The salient features of the vision are that ... 

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