Singapore Polytechnic

School of Digital Media and Infocomm Technology

Email: june@sp.edu.sg

Implementation of CDIO skills in Info-communication Technologies Design-Implement Projects

Helene Leong Ho Teck June

INTRODUCTION

This paper describes how the final year project module is implemented to promote the integration of knowledge and skills learnt in the core modules and to the application of CDIO skills in their projects.

Final year project module • Aim is to provide students with an

opportunity to integrate and apply the knowledge and technical skills to real world problems.

• Phase 1: Project proposal & specification• Phase 2: User & admin guides, program

listings, test plan and results & a deployment kit

Match CDIO skills to project module

CDIO Deliverables

Conceive Brainstorm ideas & scope of project

Design Design using UML (class, use, sequence diagram, etc)Design ERD for database

Implement Develop the project prototype (PHP, Javascript, mySQL, Action Script & etc)

Operate Project is operational

Literature Review• Crawley et al, 2007

Besides a good command of technical knowledge, our graduates must be equipped with a range of personal, interpersonal, professional, product and system building skills and knowledge.

=> Singapore Polytechnic has adapted the CDIO syllabus for our context and students

Literature Review• Malmqvist, 2004

“..The product that is created in the learning event should be developed and implemented to a state where it is operationally testable by students in order to verify that it meets its requirements and to identify possible improvements”.

=> In realizing solutions to a client’s requirements, students apply the CDIO skills

MethodologyA questionnaire was administered to:

– 21 Diploma in Business Information Technology (DBIT) year 3 students

– 25 Diploma in Information Communications Technology (DICT) year 3 students

• 100% responded

• The aim of the questionnaire was to find out the students’ perception on the application of the personal, interpersonal, conceiving and designing skills to the final year project.

.

Questionnaire on CDIO skills

• Personal skills and attitudes• Teamwork• Communications• Conceiving• Designing and Implementing

Survey: students had to choose from 5 diff. proficiency levels.

1. Not applicable2. I am aware of the skill3. I am able to understand and explain the skill4. I am able to apply the skill well in the project5. I am able to apply the skill in my other modules

and projects.

Research questions:

Percentage of year 3 students who could:• Apply personal skills and attributes to their

project?• Apply interpersonal skills to their project?• Conceive the project scope?• Design and implement the project?

(a) Questions on personal skill and attitude and the mean scores

Skills MeanI identified areas of self-improvement 4.02I used a range of critical thinking skills 3.96

I identified key issues and problems to be solved 3.91I had the opportunity to demonstrate

perseverance 3.89I had the opportunity to show initiative 3.87I had the opportunity to demonstrate

professionalism and integrity 3.83I used a range of creative thinking tools and

techniques 3.83I managed my time and resources well 3.61

(d) Questions on design and implement the project?Skills Mean

I selected appropriate techniques, tools and processes for the project. 3.83

I provided new and advanced IT solutions to my users. 3.80

I analysed and proposed alternative designs and solutions to my users 3.78

The overall mean for this category is the lowest of 3.80.Reason: There are few modules whereby students could propose alternative designs and solutions for the projects

Summary of survey results Proficiency Level

Skills

NA I am aware of the skill.

I am able to understand and explain

the skill.

I am able to apply the

skill well in the project.

I am able to apply the skill in my other

modules and projects.

Mean

Teamwork Skill 0 7 (3.8%) 45 (24.46%) 73 (39.67%) 59 (32.07%) 4.00

Communications Skill 1 (0.43%) 6 (2.61%) 60 (26.09%) 90 (43.48%) 63 (27.39%) 3.95

Personal Skill and Attitude 0 14 (3.8%) 97 (26.4%) 182 (49.5%) 75 (20.4%) 3.86

Conceive Skill 0 6 (3.26%) 58 (31.52%) 84 (45.65%) 36 (19.57%) 3.82

Design Skill 0 4 (1.45%) 89 (35.51%) 122 (44.20%) 52 (18.84%) 3.80

Overall 1 (0.08%) 37 (3.0%) 349 (28.5%) 551 (45.1%) 285 (23.3%) 3.89

Table 1: Frequency distribution (with percentages in parenthesis) & means of students’ perception of their proficiency levels for the 5 types of skills

Open-ended: Skills students’ learnt Ranking:Teamwork e.g. working dynamics Communications skill egg presentation skills Conceive skill Design skill

Open-ended: Challenges students encountered

• “Time constraint as we have to complete assignments for other modules”

• “Difficult to schedule meetings?• “Learn a new programming language egg

PHP” • “Unclear user’s requirements”

Project 1: Yahoo! Blueprint Architecture

Functions of DBIT Widget

• DBIT Information• Food Gourmet• Student Club• SP Campus Map• Latest News• Feedback

Yahoo! Go Widget

Yahoo! Go Application

Yahoo! Blueprint Architecture

Project 2: Revamp a web site

• Functions – To demonstrate products using Flash

software– To include a discussion forum– To provide a News section– To include a newsletter subscription section– To use freeware and free hosting of web

application system.

Conclusion

High means? (in all modules)• Teamwork (freq=71.7%(33),mean=4.0)• Communication (freq=70.7%(32), mean=3.95)• Personal skill (freq=70%(32), mean=3.86)Lower means? (only module)• Conceive skill – (freq=65.5%(30), mean=3.82)• Design skill – (freq=62.0%(28), mean=3.8)

Conclusion

Aware of the 5 types of skills 3%(2)

Understand and explain 5 types of skills 28.5% (13)

Able to apply the skills well in their projects 45.1% (20)Able to apply the 5 skills in other modules and in projects

23.3% (11)

Recommendation

• Review the curriculum and incorporate more conceive and design skills earlier, perhaps in 1st year and 2nd year of the course curriculum.

=> this will then provide more

opportunities for students to acquire and practice them.

Email account is june@sp.edu.sg

Singapore PolytechnicSchool of Digital Media and Infocomm Technology

www.sp.edu.sgSingapore Polytechnic500 Dover RoadSingapore 139651

tel. +65 6775 1133fax.+65 6870 6189

Assessments• Phase 1(40%)

– Group Assessment (20%)– Individual Assessment (10%)– Presentation (10%)

• Phase 2 (60%)– Group Assessment (10%)– Individual Assessment (30%)– Demonstration (20%)