Athens Journal of Education - Volume 7 - Issue 3 - July 2020 - KaLeP: A Holistic Case-based Action Learning Environment to Educate Successful Future Engineers

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Marglet

KaLeP is a holistic, case-based action learning environment designed to educate successful future engineers by aligning university teaching with dynamic and complex product development processes. Beyond disciplinary knowledge, the approach targets methodical and social competence while fostering elaboration and creativity. The paper describes the Karlsruhe Education Model for Product Development and presents the competence dimensions pursued in ProVIL, a design methods internship, including how student project teams’ competences are continuously aligned and adapted in multidisciplinary, site-distributed settings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Literature Review

Competence Model and Learning Strategies

Athens Journal of Education-Volume 7, Issue 3, July 2020 – Pages 297-312 KaLeP: A Holistic Case-based Action Learning Environment to Educate Successful Future Engineers By Manuel Niever 􀀍, Thilo Richter†, Katharina Duehr‡, Miriam Wilmsen 􀀎, Laura Lanz 􀁩, Benjamin Walter 􀁱, Albert Albers 􀁸 & Carsten Hahn 􀁫 The working environment of future university graduates is characterized by highly dynamic and complex product development processes. In addition to disciplinary competence, it is essential to build up methodical and social competence as well as to foster the elaboration and creativity potential of students. In order to meet industrial requirements the Karlsruhe Education Model for Product Development (KaLeP) was implemented. One element of this holistic education model is a design methods internship called ProVIL Product Development in a Virtual Idea Laboratory. The above mentioned integrated understanding of product development and the competences derived from it are successfully taught in the case-based action learning environment ProVIL. Additionally, the very important aspect of multidisciplinary product development in site-distributed teams is taken into account and generates an added value to the progression of the KaLeP. In this work the authors present the dimensions of competence which should be aimed for a holistic teaching approach for the interdisciplinary student courses in ProVIL. An example illustrates how a continuous alignment and the necessary adaption of competences of student project teams can be achieved within ProVIL. Keywords: action learning, competency model, education model, product development. 􀀍Doctoral Researcher, Institute of Product Engineering (IPEK) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. †Scientific Assistant, Institute of Product Engineering (IPEK) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. ‡Scientific Assistant, Institute of Product Engineering (IPEK) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. 􀀎 Doctoral Researcher, Institute of Product Engineering (IPEK) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. 􀁩 Student, University of Applied Sciences Karlsruhe (HsKA), Germany. 􀁱 Scientific Assistant, Institute of Product Engineering (IPEK) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. 􀁸Head of Institute of Product Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. 􀁫 Professor, University of Applied Sciences Karlsruhe (HsKA), Germany. [https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.7-3-4](https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.7-3-4) doi=10.30958/aje.7-3-4 Vol. 7, No. 3 Niever et al.: KaLeP: A Holistic Case-based Action Learning… Introduction With increasing complexity of the development process from the idea to the product, the expectation of the industry towards an engineering graduate is constantly rising. Due to higher quality, time and cost pressures in the development environment, the integration of interdisciplinary knowledge is necessary to design new processes and methods. Furthermore, the engineer’s work in the industrial and professional field is mostly characterized by teamwork nowadays. Therefore, pure professional expertise is unsatisfactory. In addition, methodological and social skills as well as creativity are required. In order to gain these competences, a holistic education model can meet the industries’expectations and foster the development of diverse competences which are vital for becoming a successful engineer. This leads towards new approaches for university teaching which support the students in the development of broad professional competences. The KaLeP is a general education concept orientated at the real industrial development process and designed to promote competence in product development (Albers, Burkardt, & Matthiesen, 2001). Next to the education of mechanical specialists, the KaLeP realizes the teaching of broad professional competences through a holistic approach including consecutive courses an

FAQs

What problem does KaLeP address in engineering education?

It addresses the gap between industry expectations for engineers in complex, teamwork-driven product development and the limited adequacy of pure professional expertise.

How does KaLeP support competence development?

It uses a holistic education model that includes consecutive courses, individual events, and intensive project work in interdisciplinary student teams.

What is ProVIL in the KaLeP framework?

ProVIL is an interdisciplinary, inter-institutional design methods internship where theoretical knowledge is consolidated and key skills such as teamwork abilities and creativity potential are built.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Marglet