Capstone course support system with knowledge acquisition and utilization for participant-directed learning

The capstone course in colleges of engineering is participant-directed learning (PDL) based on project-based learning(PBL) and is one of the most important courses for students aiming to become competent professional engineers capable ofsolving real industrial problems. Thus, the course has attracted much attention and involves participation of students aswell as teaching staffs and employees in diverse enterprises. Based on users’ experiences, assessment and improvements ofexisting web-based project management system (PMS), this study aims to establish an online capstone course supportsystem available via wired and wireless Internet connections. To support PDL, a knowledge utilization system (KUS) isdeveloped as an open system utilized by internal students as well as external participants from diverse industries and also asa self-proliferation system enabled collection and accumulation of information from internal and external sources. Theestablished system represents an efficient and effective system that facilitates PDL in capstone course.