Innovative Engineering Education withCommunity-Based Projects
atKanazawa Institute of Technology

CDIO Asian Regional Meeting
March 24-26, 2014
Kanazawa, JAPANKanazawa Institute ofTechnology

Keiichi SATO

ksato@neptune.kanazawa-it.ac.jp

1. Introduction
Circumstances
Surrounding

Universities &Higher Educational Institutions

Change of circumstances surrounding
Japanese universities (KIT) Practice trends in science & technology/
Diversity, refinement and integration trends in academic fields/
Progress in computer-aided technology/
Interest in environmental and energy problems
 Change of student disposition due to affluent lives/
Problems in learning => Decline in academic interest andmotivation for learning From rote memorization to applicable, practical, and creative
activities/Importance of innovation in engineering Development of pedagogy

Need to change existing education
systems and teaching methods

2. Engineering Education
atKanazawa Institute ofTechnology (KIT)1) Transition ofKIT-Education

Recent Progress in engineering
education at KIT
From the latter part of 20th century： Reformation & renovation
on a global scale
Yume-koubou(1993), Engineering design education, Project Based Learning,,
Team activity, …

KIT educational reform (1995-)
Curriculum with project-based design course as the main pillar

Feedback and reforms:
To foster “active-minded engineers”
who can succeed in real world”

KIT joins CDIO-initiative in June 2011
Center of Community:
University which can communicate
with local community

The 5th educational reform2) Educational Goal：
What kind of engineers
does KIT aim to nurture?

What attributes should
graduates of KIT acquire?
KIT Educational Goal：
Engineers who can act withinitiative based on creative
thinking
Nurture of human resources who can succeed ina real (industrial) world

Gaku-Ryoku:

Ningen-Ryoku:

Two important competencies in KIT education

Comprehensive Abilities
Gaku-Ryoku=
AcademicAbilities & Skills
Knowledge andskills in discipline* Red colored words =in Japanesex

Ningen-Ryoku=
Personal andInterpersonalAbilities & Skillsin KIT(1) Independence andAutonomy(2) Leadership(3) Collaboration skill(4) Presentation skill(5) Communication skill

3. Fundamental
Elements inKIT EducationalProgramFour Elements in KITEducational ProgramA) CurriculumB) Workspaces
C) Learning Methods; ClassWork & Extracurricularactivities
D) Reflection and Feedback

A) Curriculum

GraduateschoolFor
Master&DoctoralCourses

Outline of KIT curriculum 2012

B) Workspaces
Yume-Koubo:
The Factory for Dreams and Ideas

Library Center, Innovation & Design Studio,
Entrepreneurs-Lab, 24hours-study room,Workshop
Exhibition
Project Space
space

Project DesignCenter

Yume-kobo
Project■ Robot ■ Human powered aircraft ■ Human powered boat ■ RoboCup ■ GPSboat ■ Wind powered generator ■ Electric vehicle ■ Model making ■ Solar car■ Eco run ■ Conveyance vehicle ■ Solar boat ■ Emergency robot ■ Formula car

Team activity byCutter in Anamizu
BayAnamizu-Bay
Seminar House

Research Campus in Yatsukaho
Project Design Ⅲ :Senior(Graduation) Project
Research in graduate students (M.C. & PhD)

Victory at ABU Asia-Pacific
Robot Contest 2013

An Example ofExtracurricular (YumeKoubou) Projects

Courtesy Callon Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
as the representative of Japanese universities

ABU Asia-Pacific
Robot Contest 2013
VietnamC) Learning Methods;
Class-Work& Extracurricular Activities
From Teacher-Centered
Education
To Learner-Centered
Education

Engineering
Practice
Skills:CDIO
Functional•Design & build•Operate & repair
Professional•Ethics & Integrity•Behavior
Personal•Thinking,planning•Time mgt.,
initiative
Interpersonal•Communication•Teamwork,leadership
Business•Customer•Marketing

Learning & Teaching
Comprehensive Abilities
inKIT
Personal andInterpersonal
Abilities &Skills(1)
Independenceand Autonomy(2) Leadership(3)
Collaboration
skill
(4)
Presentation
skill
(5)
Communication skill

RecentEducation=CDIO

Integration
Comprehensive
Learning: KIT
Separation

Disciplinary
Knowledge
Science & math
Physics
Thermodynamics
Statics & dynamics
Discipline specific
•Aero
•ME
•EE
•Civil•Chemical•etc.
Humanity electives
Gaku-ryoku

Ningen-ryoku

Existing Education

CLIP: Comprehensive

Learning Initiative Process
Upward Spiral Circuit in CLIP-Learning Process
Presentation
Communication

Progress inComprehensive
Abilities

４

Comprehensive
growth&progress

Communicate

３

２ThinkProceeding tonext higher step

Collaboration
Leadership

Team Activity

Thinking, Deducing& Creating

Eagerness towards
Learning

１
Knowledge
Acquisition

How should we implement the CLIP learning
process for the comprehensive abilities ?

Strive forComprehensive
Abilities

Implement
CLIP Learning
Process

Active Learning
Comprehensive Learning-type ClassEngineering Education at KIT

Active Learning>>>Introduce to all classes!
“Active Learning”
of Each class, Each subject,and Each teacher

For Example: for KIT program

Practice on innovative development ofhuman resources through communitybased educational reforms

4. Practice on

Innovative Development of Human Resources
throughCommunity-Based Educational Reforms

2013 MEXT: Center of Community Project
MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology in JAPAN)

Collaboration with Local Community
toward Innovative HumanResources Development
From teacher-centered education to learner-centerededucation
 Preparation of learning environment where students learn
by their own initiative(workspace)－promotion of creative project activities－support system for students to engage in learning activities
in conjunction with classwork

With regional partnership, we aim to promote
human resources development in cooperation withlocal governments, residents, and industries

Featuresin Education&Research Practice

KITClass-work
Research＋

Extracurricular
activities

Process of problem finding & solving
based on issues in real world
Local Government
Residents＋Enterprises

Local Community

COC：Center of Community
Community-based Education &Research Projects at KIT

Merging of Education, Research and Social
contribution as professor’s primary tasks
Education/Research Project
Social Contribution Project
Cooperation of teachers,
staffs, businesses and local
residents

Enhancement ofopportunity for projectbased learning
Opportunity for Practical
Learning
Community-based education
Comprehensive learning–type class
Achievement of active learning

Active Campus/Education & Research Environment

Community Based Project (Example1)

Geospatial Information Project

By Prof. Shikada’s group

The geospatial information project provides an opportunity for local
community to study advanced technologies. Geospatial technology isutilized in various fields such as car navigation systems, map services,surveying, and monitoring services for children and the elderly.

Community Based Project (Example2)

Medical Engineering Collaboration
Projectby Prof. Shintani’s group
KIT has made a cooperative agreement with Kanazawa Medical
University to address immediate problems of disease treatment. We
also partner with businesses in the field of medical engineering.

Community Based Project (Example3)

Re-Design Apartment Project

By Prof. Miyashita’s group

This project contributes to community development on the basis of acooperative agreement with important stakeholders in the local
communities of Kanazawa City and Nonoichi City. This is an extremely
beneficial experience for students studying architecture.

5. ConcludingRemarks

The direction of KIT engineering education
program fits the context of CDIO-Initiative.
 Curriculum with project based design education as its main pillar
 Many workspaces, such as the Factory for Dreams & Ideas Active learning based on the CLIP-learning process Promotion of integrated learning activities based on community-related
projects, which make regional contributions and provide students andteachers with an opportunity to be motivated and reflectedBy participating in the CDIO-Initiative which indicatesan international standard engineering education program,
KIT strives to expose the strengths and weaknessof the KIT education program and formulate
specific remedial measures from a global viewpointwith the goal of enhancing engineering education.

Thank you for
yourattention!