Enhancing engineering competencies through Outcome-based Education: A mixed-methods study in an intelligent control course

Jing Yang, Zhenqing Li and Yoshinori Yamaguchi

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: Bridging the gap between theory and practice remains a persistent challenge in engineering education, especially in complex, algorithm-heavy courses like intelligent control. In such contexts, students often know the abstract concepts but struggle to turn them into workable engineering solutions. Outcome-Based Education (OBE), which focuses on what students can do, offers a promising way forward. However, detailed evidence on how well OBE works at the individual course level in technically demanding fields is still limited. In this quasi-experimental, mixed-methods study, we redesigned an undergraduate intelligent control course around OBE principles, using constructive alignment together with project-based and case-based learning. We compared an intervention cohort (n = 97) with a historical control cohort (n = 89) who had taken the same course the previous year under traditional lectures. Quantitative results from pre- and post-course surveys, exams, and project scores showed meaningful gains for the intervention group across several areas: learning engagement (t = 9.87, p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0358558

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0358558

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