A Case Study on Computer Education Using Problem/Project Based Learning

In the development of a new professional course, Digital Systems Design, at the author's university, a problem based learning (PBL) approach has been used. A major component of this course is a team-based project to design and build a digital controller on an FPGA to control the traffic lights of a complex traffic intersection. The project follows the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) context of engineering education that is being adopted by considerable computer and engineering departments world-wide.