Interdisciplinary engineering education: a problem-oriented approach

It seems that there is the paradox in the title. Interdisciplinarity and only one problem being solved are the neighbors. The answer is contained in the complexity of modern technological and engineering problems: it is impossible to teach completely all the scientific disciplines concerning such a problem, but it is very useful to learn that in a concrete binding example. The authors have applied such an approach to the problem of computer-aided optical interferometry in the educational course "Computer information and Control Systems" and obtained promising results. In the comparably short course the basic principles of physical and quantum optics, noise theory, analog signal processing, A/D conversion, and digital signal processing based on modern applied mathematical methods are taught with special attention being paid to human-machine interfaces. Methodically they have used lectures, seminars and specially problem-oriented lab works. The main results are: more effective learning of the basic disciplines in the solution process of the realized main problem and simultaneously good skills of experience.