Interdisciplinary Project-based Learning Approach Implementation for Undergraduate Electrical Engineering Students

This paper shows a case study of an interdisciplinary project-based learning approach implementation for undergraduate electrical engineering students at Riga Technical University. A group of students have been selected for participation in a voluntary project with a complex interdisciplinary task of multi-level inverter laboratory prototype design. The students involved in a project have successfully solved the problems of inverter prototype printed circuit board design, component selection, converter layout design, board and prototype assembly and testing. The selected group of students have shown a significant professional, social and job-related skill development, higher competence in printed circuit board design, power electronics and general electrical engineering, as well as higher confidence in their problem-solving abilities in comparison with two other reference student groups. The described pilot project is evaluated as useful, effective and essential for future undergraduate electrical engineering students; hence, it is recommended to include the project module as a compulsory or voluntary course in the electrical engineering study programs at Riga Technical University.