Contribution-based Pedagogies in Engineering Education

Anyone who has done any teaching will observe how much more deeply they come to understand the subject material as a result. Any uncertainty or lack of clarity is quickly exposed when it comes to explaining a concept to somebody else. This principle is exploited in contribution based pedagogies, where students become co-creators of learning resources which are shared with others. As well as deepening knowledge of subject material, contribution-based pedagogies develop interpersonal and professional skills. Students are required to work cooperatively in a co-dependent environment: the success of their learning depends not only on their own efforts, but on the work of their peers. In this paper, we discuss the educational theory and practice of contribution based pedagogy, and report on our own experiences.