IDP Didactic Concept

Didactic concept of the IDP

One project – many didactic highlights

We use the format to test innovative ideas when designing student projects. The IDP therefore brings together and combines different aspects of tried and tested didactic methods and findings. Thus, in addition to project-based learning, there are elements of problem-based and also research-based learning. The concept is constantly being developed and thus changed.
Significant parts have already been successfully exported to curricularly embedded courses (e.g. team project mechanical engineering).

Procedure of the “classic” project (construction of a specific plant e.g. algae reactor)

A realistic scenario forms the framework for the project. For example, the students work as a development team of a fictitious company. This career context enables an initial examination of the working world of engineers.

The students work together as a team on a complex task. It is guaranteed that the task can be solved in one way, but that the first semester students are not overwhelmed. It is designed to be open, so that students can decide for themselves, on the basis of their previous knowledge, which technical solution to adopt.

The staff of the participating institutes of the TUHH will be available for technical questions during the project. The students will contact them if they need to.

In the project, all project stages are run through from the conception of the technical solution to the practical implementation. In the initial phase there are interactive units, so-called inputs, for teamwork and project management. The students organise the subsequent weekly team meetings largely on their own responsibility. They are accompanied by ZLL staff and trained student tutors.

Predefined milestones (concept presentation, interim presentation, final presentation) structure the project. On these appointments, the teams receive professional feedback from the institute staff. During the mid-term presentation, the teams present their work status to each other. At the final event, the developed concept and the practical solution will be presented.

In order to give students enough time to develop and implement their own ideas, this project will run alongside the other courses for at least one semester.

BachelorProject_Procedure

The subproject with open task definition

The “Open Topic” project format expands the existing format of the Interdisciplinary Bachelor’s Project to the extent that, in a first step, the students themselves define their concrete task. The framework for the task is set by the cooperation with an external partner, preferably a non-profit association, which needs a technical solution for a problem. The students’ task is to identify and analyse these needs and to develop a suitable technical product together with the target group.

Project schedule

The additional step requires an extension of the concept phase (see Fig. 1). During this time the students and the cooperation partner get to know each other and the students become familiar with the needs and wishes of the target group. They develop first ideas for a concrete project task. Support in finding ideas is provided by research assistants from the product development department, who also accompany the entire project.
BachelorProject_OpenTopic_Procedure
In the realization phase following the concept presentation, the students work mostly independently on the implementation of their ideas. Regular communication with the target group is desired and enables direct feedback on the students’ ideas. The students are supported by student tutors as team assistants, by research assistants and student tutors for technical questions, as well as by the student workshop for practical work.

The sub-project “Open Topic” was awarded the title “Hochschulperle des Jahres” by the Stifterverband.