Implementing Consecutive Project-Based Learning in an Antenna and Propagation Course

Abstract

In this study, a 'consecutive-project-based learning' structure applied to the antennas and propagation course is introduced. The first project, carried out with the faculty of management, aims to familiarize the teams with the challenges of 'real life tender-like conditions'. In the following three projects, teams perform their assigned antenna projects. Each team researches the theoretical background, studies the main parameters of antennas and evaluates them. After designing, simulating, specifying the testing requirements of the antennas, each team makes one financial and one time budget. At the end of the term, each team makes a presentation to a jury. Finally, a questionnaire is conducted to evaluate the achievement of the outcomes. This paper focuses on the first two projects because they constitute the critical stages of the course as the first project enables inexperienced students to discover the issues they might face in a 'real world' project and draw lessons from that experience to be used in the more comprehensive following project. The first project's aim is to equip the inexperienced students with elementary knowledge on working in a team; paying attention to time, budget, project phases and people management issues so that they can use that knowledge in the second project, thus learning takes place as a product of consecutive projects. Statistical information on the students' academic performances is analyzed to observe if this course has improved their academic performance. The results indicate that 'consecutive-project-based learning' is an effective method in antennas and propagation course.