Advances in Engineering Education - Implementing Problem Based Learning through Engineers Without Borders Student Projects

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk

Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB) is a nonprofit that partners student chapters with communities needing potable water, clean air, sanitation, irrigation, energy, and essential school and clinic structures, roads, and bridges. Though projects vary in complexity, they are realistic, ill-structured, and challenging, enabling problem based learning (PBL). This paper evaluates whether EWB is well aligned with PBL and how participation affects technical and non-technical learning outcomes (ABET program outcomes) for a cohort of City College of New York engineering students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background on EWB

Organization of an example EWB student chapter

| Ad | vances in engineering edu | cation | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | summer 2013 Implementing Problem Based Learning through engineers Without Borders student Projects ANN WITTIG City College of New York New York, NY ABsTrACT Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB) is a nonprofit organization that partners student chapters with communities in fundamental need of potable water, clean air, sanitation, irrigation, energy, basic structures for schools and clinics, roads and bridges, etc. While EWB projects may vary in complexity, they are all realistic, ill-structured and challenging, and so have the potential to provide a unique educational opportunity for problem based learning (PBL) . Since the number of EWB student chapters on college campuses is large and growing, this paper explores whether EWB is well aligned with PBL, and the extent to which participation in EWB increased student learning ina cohort of engineering students at the City College of New York. Student learning is assessed for various technical and non-technical learning outcomes (i.e., ABET program outcomes) . EWB is found to be well aligned with the PBL approach. For the student cohort studied, participation in EWB appears to reinforce technical concepts learned in the classroom and to provide a forum for developing an appreciation for or ability in particular concepts that are difficult to adequately address in a classroom setting: ethical behavior, global perspectives, sustainable solutions, effective communication, decision-making and leadership. Key Words: Engineers Without Borders, problem based learning INTrODuCTION Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB) is a nonprofit organization that partners student and professional chapters of the organization with communities in great need around the world in order to address some of the fundamental needs of these communities, such as potable water, clean air, sanitation, irrigation, energy, and basic structures, roads and bridges. To date, there are over summer 2013 1 advances in engineering education implementing Problem Based Learning through engineers Without Borders student Projects 170 professional and 180 student EWB chapters in the United States, and these chapters work with communities in over 45 developing countries (EWB-USA, 2012) and are managed by staff at EWB national headquarters. The projects are intended to be community-driven (i.e., communities selfidentify their needs and learn to independently operate and maintain the finished product) and collaborative (i.e., communities are consulted on proposed designs and implementation strategies and community members provide manpower to assist in data collection and design construction) . EWB chapters are expected to fundraise 100% of the costs associated with a project, including travel and materials. EWB projects can be ill-defined and technically challenging to solve, and provide opportunities for students to learn or refine their knowledge of technical concepts traditionally taught in a classroom as well as concepts that are difficult to teach in a classroom setting. Further, the general methodology to conduct an EWB project is aligned with a problem based learning (PBL) approach. Since the number of EWB student chapters is large and continues to grow, this means that there may be a large and growing opportunity to use PBL through EWB projects to enhance student learning. This study seeks to establish whether EWB projects that are facilitated by faculty are indeed aligned with PBL, and the extent to which participation in EWB affects student learning. In the sections that follow, general information about the organization is provided first. Then the applicability of EWB to PBL is discussed, beginning with a background on the PBL approach, and continuing with a discussion of the appropriateness of EWB projects as PBL problems. Then assessments of enhanced student learning of ABET prog

FAQs

What problem does Engineers Without Borders (EWB) address through its student projects?

EWB partners chapters with communities in fundamental need such as potable water, clean air, sanitation, irrigation, energy, and basic structures for schools and clinics, plus roads and bridges.

How does the paper evaluate whether EWB matches problem based learning (PBL)?

The paper assesses alignment between EWB projects and the PBL approach and measures the extent to which participating in EWB influences student learning outcomes in an engineering student cohort.

What learning areas does participation in EWB appear to strengthen?

For the studied cohort, EWB participation reinforces technical concepts and supports abilities that are difficult to address fully in classrooms, including ethical behavior, global perspectives, sustainable solutions, effective communication, decision-making, and leadership.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk