Sustaining educational change –The case of a strategic and long-term CDIO
implementation at Chalmers University ofTechnology

Professor Johan Malmqvist
Chalmers University of Technology
Gothenburg, Sweden

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Recognize key factors that
influence change in an organization

Examine the implementation
process in a selected CDIO
program

Discuss how to sustain educational
development beyond the firstproject phase and identify
supporting CDIO resources

OUTLINE• Change driver and barriers in universities• Generic change process model, adapted to education change• Case: Mechanical engineering at Chalmers University ofTechnology• CDIO implementation support and resources• Concluding remarks & discussion

DRIVERS AND IGNITERS FOREDUCATIONAL CHANGE
DRIVERS
Globalization

IGNITERSTHREATS

Sustainabledevelopment- Poor student
recruitment- Poor student
retention

Technologyfusion

OPPORTUNITIES- Analysis that engineering
education needs to change- Culture of educationalinnovation- Significant funding- New leadership- Inspiration from pedagogicalinnovations

Accreditation requirements

Need fornon-technicalskillsInnovation
economyDemographics
Digitalization
Based on R Graham: Achieving excellence in engineering education: the ingredients of successful change, 2012

BARRIERS TO CHANGE IN UNIVERSITYEDUCATION“It has already been triedand it didn’t work”“We don’t havetime”“I’ll change but only if there isscientific evidence for the newapproach”“Yes, we should do thatbut I don’t have thecompetence”“Good idea, but thecurriculum is alreadyover-stuffed”“We don’t havemoney”“Our program isalready good”“I need to focus on grants andresearch to get tenure/promotion”

Based on R Graham: Achieving excellence in engineering education: the ingredients of successful change, 2012

CHANGE IN UNIVERSITIES (CONT)• Perspective 1: Universities are, by design, resistant to change
as organizations– In Europe, of the more than 25 institutions that haveoperated continuously since the Reformation, all but fourare universities• Perspective 2: Notwithstanding Observation 1, universities canbe changed by appropriate application of best practice inleading organizational change

KOTTER’S MODEL FOR ORGANIZATIONALCHANGE PROCESSES
1 Establish a sense of urgency
2 Form a powerful guiding coalition
3 Create a vision
4 Communicate the vision
5 Empower others to act on the vision
6 Plan for and create short-term wins
7 Consolidate improvements and produce still more change
8 Institutionalize new approaches

ADAPTING KOTTER’S MODEL TOEDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Getting off to the rightstart

Building the momentum in the core
activities of the change

Institutionalizingchange

1 Understanding theneed for change
2 Leadership from thetop
3 Creating a vision
4 Support for early
adopters
5 Early successes

6 Moving off
assumptions
7 Including students
as agents of change
8 Involvement andownership
9 Adequate resources

10 Faculty recognition
and incentives
11 Faculty learning
culture12 Student
expectations &academic
requirements

EXAMPLES:#5 EARLY SUCCESSES• Identify and enhance CDIO syllabus
learning outcomes for some courses• Start, or modify, a first-year engineeringcourse that includes a simple designimplement experience.
• Get involved in a student design-build
competition like Formula Student• Modify an existing classroom space tocreate a design-implement workspacethat supports hands-on and social
learning.

Teamwork?
Oral communication?

EXAMPLES:#11 FACULTY LEARNING CULTURE
Enhancement of CDIO Skills• Hire faculty with industrial experience• Give new hires a year to gain experience before beginning
program responsibilities• Create educational programs for current faculty• Provide faculty with leave to work in industry• Encourage outside professional activities that give faculty
appropriate experiences• Recruit senior faculty with significant professional engineeringexperienceEXAMPLES:#11 FACULTY LEARNING CULTURE
Enhancement of Teaching Skills• Hire faculty with interest in education and ask them to discussteaching during their interviews• Encourage faculty to take part in CDIO workshops• Connect with the teaching and learning centers at youruniversities• Invite guest speakers on teaching topics• Organize coaching by educational professionals or
distinguished peers• Participate in teaching mentorship programs

PLANNING THE CHANGE PROCESS• Evaluate your program. What are your strengths and weaknesses with respect
to the CDIO Syllabus and Standards? (1. Understand need)• Elaborate the vision and strategy – be ready to answer the why, what and how• Identify some early successes (5. Early Successes)– Easy to implement– Quick payoff– Visible results• Generate buy-in from faculty (8. Involvement and Ownership)– Give them tools and resources to help with changes– Reward faculty who embrace and drive CDIO
– Give faculty ownership in the project• Identify resources you need to before you embark on large changes –especially project-based courses (9. Adequate resources)• Plan how to assess and measure the impact of the changes that you make

DISCUSSION

Turn to the person sitting next toyou and discuss:• What are the three most urgent
needs for change in yourprogram?
• What will you gain if you are ableto address these needs?

AN IMPLEMENTATION STORYTHE CHANGE PROCESS OF
THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAMME AT
CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGYCASE STUDY: CHALMERS MECHANICALENGINEERING PROGRAM•

Five-year program leading to ”civilingenjör” degree (master of sciencein engineering)•

Organized in 3+2 format – students also obtain bachelor of scienceand master of science degrees•

14 electable master programs, all taught in English•

150 students admitted per year, 20% female•

Highest number of 1st pref application of Swedishmechanical engineering programs•Appointed Centre of Excellence in HigherEducation in 2008•

Awarded engineering education of the year award in 2012•

Awarded rating “very high quality” by Swedish National Agency ofHigher Education (2013) (only ME program in Sweden with this rating)

PLANNING THE CHANGE AT CHALMERS
Identify needs &opportunities forchange

Strengths- Project-based courses- Design courses+ MoreWeaknesses- No design-build-test projects, lack of authenticity- Employer requested better communication skills, project
leadership & initiative- Poor links between maths and engineering subjects + MoreEstablish vision &strategy

CDIO was selected as basis for a program vision & strategy

Identify early
successes

4th year design-build-test competition-based projects werefocused (Formula Student, Autonomous vehicles)

Set up system formeasuring thechange

Self-assessment vs CDIO standards (but first we needed to
articulate the standards and their rubrics)
Invited external evaluators

Obtain management
support & resources

Strong support from school leadership
Financial support from Wallenberg foundationVISIONThe ”Civilingenjör” (MScEng) program in MechanicalEngineering aims to develop the knowledge, skills andattitudes that are needed to be able toLead and participate in the design and operation ofindustrial products, processes and systems
This includes the entire lifecycle from identifying needs,
creating solutions, design, manufacturing, marketing,operating, maintaining, recycling to eliminating

PROGRAM STRATEGY (EXCERPT)•The “main thread” of the programme is a holistic view of product andsystem lifecycle development and deployment.

•The programme should have computation-oriented and integrated
mathematics education with focus on modelling, simulation and analyses•The programme should have introductory provides a framework for thepractice of engineering in product and system building and includes a•Team-based DBT courses with realistic and relevant assignments should
be included in all years•

The programme should have its own prototype laboratory and workshop,
and adequate spaces for teamwork in projects•

Development of students´ teamwork and communication skills should beintegrated in many courses with explicit progression
Relevant aspects of sustainable development should be emphasized, andthe focus is on product development, materials and energy supply… (continued) …

••

EARLY SUCCESSES
Formula Student

Autonomous vehicles

Visible, competition-based
projects marketed the change
project and communicated theidea of what the project was
about to students and faculty

FROM THE STARTING POINTS - THE CDIOJOURNEY HAS TAKEN 10+ YEARSCDIO planning

CDIO basic
design & piloting

CDIO
implementation-2000

2000-2001

2001-2004

2004-20082009-

M2000 reform• Projectcourses• More design• Early eng
experiences• Master-likeprofiles• Set project
goals• Concretize
CDIO concept• Benchmarking• Design-buildtest pilots• Prototyping lab• Multiple
design-buildtest projects• Integratedlearning• 3+2 education
structureadapted• Mathematics• Sustainability• Bachelorproject• English onmaster level• Virtual learning
environment
for math stat
• Integratedsustainability

Pre CDIO• No designbuild-test• HSV
Excellence
center

CDIO +• Set new goals• Visiting
committee

INTEGRATED CURRICULUM YEAR 1-3
Year 1Intro Mathematics
7.5 ECTS

Single-variable Calculus
7.5 ECTS

Programming in Matlab
CAD M 4,5hp
4.5 ECTS
Intro to Mechanical Eng 7.5 ECTS

Linear Algebra
7.5 ECTS

Several-variable Calculus
7.5 ECTS

Mechanics and Solid
Mechanics I
7.5 ECTS

Mechanics and Solid
Mechanics I I
7.5 ECTS

Year 2Mechanics and Solid
Mechanics I II
7.5 ECTS
Materials

7.5 ECTS

Common computation
labs in mathematics,
programming &engineering science

Communications
Machine Elements
7.5 ECTS

Integrated Design and Manufacturing Project
7.5 ECTS

Materials andManufacturing
Technology
7.5 ECTS

Sustainable productdevelopment 4.5 ECTS
Thermodynamics
7.5 ECTS

Industriell Production &Org 6 ECTS
Industrial Economics
4 ECTSYear 3Mechatronics
7.5 ECTS

Control Engineering
7.5 ECTS

Bachelor Thesis Project 15 ECTSFluid Mechanics7.5
ECTSElective I 7.5 ECTS

Elective II 7.5 ECTS

Mathematical Statistics
7.5 ECTS

Teamwork
Sustainability
Integrative project indesign &manufacturing

A CURRICULUM WITH MANY DESIGNBUILD-TEST PROJECTSYear 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Mechatronics
project course
Intro toMech Eng

Joint project inMachine elements&Manuf technology
courses

MachinedesignAutomotiveeng project
Productdevelopment
project

Creative,”conceptual” design

Design for manufacturing

Redesign
Multiple objectives

Creative design incl
business aspects
Cross-dept teams

Simple prototype
Qualitative

More advanced prototype
Some simulation
Company is customer

Prototype as needed
More simulation

Prototype
Simulation as needed
Company is customer

ADVANCED DESIGN-IMPLEMENT-TEST
PROJECT
Chalmers EcoMarathon
2006

CDIO IMPLEMENTATION WORKSPACE –THE PROTOTYPING LABORATORY• 450 m2 facility wherestudents can build
prototypes• Metal machining,woodworking, rapid
prototyping, welding,electronics, …
• Used in courses andprojects from year 1 tomaster thesis projects

MATHEMATICS REFORM
••

•••
•

Reformed mathematics
emphasizing simulations
Motivate importance ofmathematics and appliedmechanics courses
Realistic engineering problems
Working method based onmodelling, simulation & analysis
MATLAB programming
Visualization of mechanicalbehaviourYear 1 lab example

MEASURING THE CHANGE - SELFASSESSMENT WRT CDIO STANDARDS
Scale

Criteria

5

Evidence related to the standard isregularly reviewed and used to make
improvements.

4

There is documented evidence of thefull implementation and impact of thestandard across program components
and constituents.

3

Implementation of the plan to address
the standard is underway across theprogram components and constituents.

2

There is a plan in place to address thestandard.

1

There is an awareness of need toadopt the standard and a process inplace to address it.

0

There is no documented plan oractivity related to the standard.

CDIO SELF-EVALUATION EVOLUTION

0

1234

CURRENT AND FUTURE PLANS

Short termLong term

2010-2011• Intellectual prop mgmt
• Extended sustainability• Virtual learning environment in
1st year math courses• Material science courses withproduct focus• Expanded CAD course• Establish international visitingcommittee

2010-2020• Interactive T, L & A• Dialogue instead of monologue• Creative abilities, innovation andentrepreneurship• New technologies and materials• Prepare for global
collaboration andcompetition• Challenge-based innovation

LESSONS LEARNED FROMIMPLEMENTATION 1(2)
• Education reform needs to take place at least program level – not all piecesof CDIO are new, it is the comprehensiveness that makes the difference• Education reform is not only about one radical change project, it also
requires long-term continuous improvement• The standards and the benchmarking methods developed in the CDIO
project helped structure and continuously improve the program• The ME program has come out positively in several evaluations due to its
CDIO implementation• Industry has been very positive throughout• The CDIO project has strengthened the teacher team

LESSONS LEARNED FROMIMPLEMENTATION 2(2)• As a first visible effect, the creation of a few design-build
projects at an early stage was a showcase for the project• Some tasks took much longer time than expected– Building the prototyping lab & reforming the mathematics
course– Continual support from management and program advisoryboard is needed• We still only have few individuals who can take responsibility
for professional and non-technical skills– Vulnerability - faculty development important

PAIR-WISE DISCUSSION: CHALLENGES

Turn to the person sitting next toyou and discuss:• Identify 3 key challenges orbarriers that you face in
implementing a CDIO
approach in your program.
• What resources can you draw
on to address thesechallenges?

CONCLUDING REMARKS:SUSTAINED EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Getting off to the rightstart

Building the momentum in the core
activities of the change

Institutionalizingchange

1 Understanding theneed for change
2 Leadership from thetop
3 Creating a vision
4 Support for early
adopters
5 Early successes

6 Moving off
assumptions
7 Including students
as agents of change
8 Involvement andownership
9 Adequate resources

10 Faculty recognition
and incentives
11 Faculty learning
culture12 Student
expectations &academic
requirements

But more is needed!

BUT MORE IS NEEDED• High ambitions and goals• A customized approach that fits the needs and constraints ofthe program• A program-level perspective• An ability to set new goals• A challenging program advisory board or visit committee• Long-term strategy & vision, continuity• Active search for external input• An effective quality enhancement system• Development and maintenance of a teacher team with aprogram perspective• A continual effort to create attention to educational issues
Based on R Graham: Achieving excellence in engineering education: the ingredients of successful change, 2012

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CDIO …

Visit www.cdio.org!

OPEN-SOURCE RESOURCES
Available at http://www.cdio.org• The CDIO Syllabus• The CDIO Standards• Start-Up Guidance• Implementation Kit (I-Kit)• Papers from CDIO conferences
Other• Rethinking Engineering Education: The CDIO
Approach by Crawley, Malmqvist, Östlund, &Brodeur, 2007
• Annual international CDIO conference• Local, regional, and international workshops

Thank you for listening!
Any questions or comments?