Sustaining CDIO Capability: Professional Development for Engineering Faculty

The Diploma in Chemical Engineering (DCHE) adopted the CDIO framework as the basis for its curriculum since 2007. Over the last several years, specific CDIO skills have been introduced in various core modules in the 3-year diploma program. The course management team has recognized the need to continually sustain the CDIO capability of its faculty. The paper describes the efforts undertaken by the course management team to provide the necessary deep learning (Marton, [1]) of the CDIO initiative to new faculty and returning faculty. The goal was to get the new and returning faculty to learn about the CDIO initiative in the same manner as the initial “pioneering” batch of CDIO implementers, known as “CDIOers”. This paper first discusses professional development of the faculty with regard to CDIO skills in the polytechnic which, in the author’s view, is insufficient in its present format to sustain the development of faculty competence in CDIO skills. Learning from identified gaps in the present arrangements, this paper will argue for an integrated approach to the professional development of faculty by integrating faculty training, pedagogy and curriculum development. This is to be further supported by getting faculty to participate in reflective practice upon completion of a CDIO assignment. The paper then describes approaches taken by the course management team to initiate the faculty CDIO skill acquisition process. The advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches will be discussed, as well as reflections by faculty on their usefulness. Finally, the paper will discuss the issues and challenges faced by the course management team and mentors in adopting the approaches. We will identify some key learning points and outline future directions in facilitating a more effective approach towards professional development in this area.