INNOVATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING TOOLS FOR FOUNDATION IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Students in Malaysia who aspire to pursue a degree in engineering have the option of enrolling in either a specific foundation programme or a generic preuniversity programme, which while offering more flexibility, does not offer the focus of an engineering specific foundation programme. This paper outlines the design of a new foundation programme that is aimed at preparing year 11 students to smoothly transit into an engineering programme of their choice. This programme has three main features, firstly, it is project-based and designed according to the CDIO Framework, secondly, the theory part of the programme is delivered using technology, namely iBook and MOOCs, and thirdly it has and eXtreme Learning Process (XLP). The surveys done to assess the trial runs of the XLP and the iBook indicate that students found the methodology to be both useful and interesting. The first batch of students will join in July 2013 and more data will be available by then.