Project Based Learning 

Project based learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to a complex question, problem, or challenge.

Essential elements of Project Based Learning include: 

  • Significant content – At its core, the project is focused on teaching students important knowledge and skills, derived from standards and key concepts at the heart of academic study. 
  • 21st century competencies – Students build competencies valuable for today’s world, such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity/innovation, which are explicitly taught and assessed. 
  • In-Depth Inquiry – students are engaged in an extended, rigorous process of asking questions, using resources, and developing answers. 
  • Driving question – Project work is focused by an open-ended question that students understand and find intriguing, which captures their task or frames their exploration. 
  • Need to know – students see the need to gain knowledge, understand concepts, and apply skills in order to answer the Driving Question and create project products. 
  • Voice and choice – Students are allowed to make some choices about the products to be created, how they work, and how they use their time, guided by the teacher. 
  • Critique and revision – The project includes processes for students to give and receive feedback on the quality of their work including a public presentation. 

EMPLOYER: McCain Foods Ltd

SYNOPSIS: Students in KS4 have to complete an assignment focusing on drill powered pumps as a key part of their Cambridge National in Engineering Design qualification. To enthuse and motivate students in the completion of this assignment a McCain maintenance expert visits students to give a presentation at the assignment introduction stage. In this presentation they find out about the wide range of pump applications at the McCain foods manufacturing plant, and get to investigate the pump components.

McCain Foods also support our KS5 Project Management for Engineers students through presentations and student visits to work with their project management team. This gives the students an industrial context for the theory they have to learn in preparation for the external test.

EMPLOYER: Deep Sea Electronics Ltd 

SYNOPSIS: Our KS5 engineering students work with Deep Sea Electronics through the re-design of a controller casing. DSE experts present to the students at the assignment introduction stage to give the assignment task a context that enthuses and motivates. Student evidence is then centred on the DSE product and submitted as a part of their Cambridge Technical in Engineering qualification. DSE representatives visit once again towards assignment completion to enable students to present their solutions and gain some feedback. 

EMPLOYER: Flamingoland

SYNOPSIS: Scarborough UTC are working with Flamingoland to develop an engineering programme and materials that can be used by their educational visits team. KS4 English students research and gather information needed to create an information sheet that supports each of the key rides at the park, communicating the technology used within its design alongside the sensors, actuators and sounds to look out for when students use the rides. They will also work with the education team at the park to develop a presentation they can use with all visitors. This is a great opportunity for our students to work on a real time resourcing project with a highly motivating focus.

EMPLOYER: Unison Ltd

SYNOPSIS: Unison contribute to two key units within the KS5 Cambridge Technical in Engineering qualifications offered at Scarborough UTC. A CAD (Computer Aided Design) expert visits students weekly to deliver applied masterclasses in the use of CAD software. This forms an integral part of the CAD course and enables students to develop their CAD skills to industry level. Unison also work with students on their Lean and Quality final assignment. Students receive a presentation from a Unison lean expert at the start of the assignment then visit the Unison production area in order to apply lean principles to it. This is used as evidence for their final assignment, and enables them to achieve the highest grades to the applied real-life nature of the task.