Project-Mentoring in Engineering Education - A competence-oriented teaching and learning approach

The challenges of the 21st century and the corresponding demands on future engineers call for rethinking teaching methods in engineering sciences. Furthermore, attracting more young people, particularly young women, into Engineering Education, is a key-element in contemporary higher education. Universities will have to face these challenges, in living up to the requirements of change processes in a sustainable manner. “Project-Mentoring” as one example is an competence-oriented teaching and learning approach which focuses on integrative enhancement of students' specific and personal competencies, serves to increase young people's interest in Engineering and attracts new peer groups, connects theory and its translation into practical action and is sensitizing students for self-reflection and life-long-learning. “Project-Mentoring” is based on the theoretical framework of constructivist learning theories by supporting collaborative and active learning. It is founded on the mentoring relationship between students in their role as mentors and secondary school pupils (in their role as mentees). It combines a classic mentoring approach with action-oriented engineering projects and therefore can contribute to a widespread development of competencies of engineering students, of which this paper presents a detailed review in differentiation, and examines its efficacy. “Project-Mentoring” is aimed at secondary school pupils, in order to share the fascination of technology and to strengthen school-university networks. The objectives mentioned above are supported by the educational concept and by the structure of the module. The theory-based concept, its curricular implementation and research data of the complex efficacy analysis will be presented.