Introductory Project in Environmental Engineering (6ECTS)

Objective

Introductory project is a practical course in Environmental Engineering. The student learns the basics of project management (project planning including work break-down, resource allocation, time scheduling and cost monitoring ), execution, reporting, presentation of results. The student learns how to work as a member of a multicultural team.

Project work in teams of 3-6 students. Project topics can be tailored depending on students' interests. During the course students can plan and build a product or investigate some environmental problem in the field or in the laboratory scale. The student prepares project plans, writes follow-up reports and makes an oral presentation.

To learn how to work in a group, how to share knowledge, comprehend and apply new skills.

Content

1. A mature individual shall be interested in technical area and shall possess a set of Personal and Professional skills, which are central to the practice, including: initiative and willingness to take risks, perseverance and flexibility, creative and critical thinking, professional ethics, integrity, responsibility and accountability.

2. In order to do so, students must have mastered the fundamentals of the appropriate Technical knowledge and Reasoning, being: knowledge of underlying sciences, core and/or advanced engineering fundamental knowledge.

3. And finally in order to work in a modern team-based environment, students must have developed the Interpersonal skills of teamwork and communications. Forming effective teams, team operation, team growth and evolution, leadership, technical teaming, communications strategy, communications structure, written communication, electronic/multimedia communication, graphical communication, oral presentation and inter-personal communications.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

1. Evaluation criteria for content Personal and Professional skills. The student finds the task important and tries hard to find motivation as well as studies the required sources but doesn't search for additional sources. The student makes some notes on the central topics and issues. The student shall be able to recognize, define and describe central elements of personal and professional skills.

2. Evaluation criteria for content Technical Knowledge and Reasoning. The student sometimes generates new ideas and questions other students' perspectives, and shows effort in doing his/her best. The argumentation is often logical and he/she tries his/her best to improve it. Sometimes he/she can come up with logical categorizations and relevant problems. The student shall be able to name, list and relate to central elements of technical knowledge and reasoning.

3. Evaluation criteria for content Interpersonal Skills of teamwork and communications. The student listens to others most of the time. With a few words, she/he sometimes refers to what others are saying. The student shall be able to label, repeat and match central elements of interpersonal skills.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

1. Evaluation criteria for content Personal and Professional skills. The student finds the task interesting and is motivated to learn about it. The student explores the required sources and some additional sources. The student compares the sources to find similarities and differences as well as makes good notes to support the discussions in the group. The student shall be able to classify, explain and convert central elements of personal and professional skills.

2. Evaluation criteria for content Technical Knowledge and Reasoning. The student often generates new ideas and questions different viewpoints. His/her argumentation is mostly logical. She/he often succeeds in making her/his point clear to others. The student can make logical categorizations and explain them quite clearly as well as often come up with relevant problems and find relevant solutions. The student shall be able to identify, interpret and extrapolate central elements of technical knowledge and reasoning.

3. Evaluation criteria for content Interpersonal Skills of teamwork and communications. The student listens actively and shows a great deal of effort in building positively on what others have said. She/he is also benefitting from most of the feedback received and shows appreciation. The student shall be able to arrange, discuss and translate central elements of interpersonal skills.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

1. Evaluation criteria for content Personal and Professional skills. The student is very motivated to study the subject and regularly search for new relevant material. The student discusses the sources and always tries to find the best theories to support the learning task or project. The student also prepares notes and illustrations that he/she can share with others. The student shall be able to choose, change and illustrate central elements of personal and professional skills.

2. Evaluation criteria for content Technical Knowledge and Reasoning. The student always generates new and useful ideas, including questions with different viewpoints, and argues opinions and ideas very clearly, so others understand the perspective. Reasoning is always visible in the discussion and can be justified by challenges and the student can offer alternative hypotheses. The student can also share the reasoning behind his/her discussion. He/she moves between different perspectives and tries them. The student seriously responds to and further develops what others have said, including putting forth and demanding knowledge that is accurate and relevant to the issue under discussion. The student shall be able to prepare, employ and use central elements of technical knowledge and reasoning.

3. Evaluation criteria for content Interpersonal Skills of teamwork and communications. The student always listens to others very actively and regularly gives critical and constructive feedback about their ideas and perceptions. The student also challenges his/her statements with well-grounded argumentation as well as seriously responds to and further develops what others in the group have said. Finally the student clearly shows that he/she appreciates other students' ideas and learns from them. The student shall be able to apply, execute and demonstrate central elements of interpersonal skills.