PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN MATERIALS ENGINEERING: AN EXPERIENCE WITH COMPOSITE MATERIALS
Keywords:
Project-Based Learning, Composite Materials, Engineering Education, Active MethodologiesAbstract
This paper reports the implementation and results of a pilot project for curriculum modernization in the course EET421 Composite Materials, part of the Materials Engineering program at the Escola Politécnica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. The project replaced the traditional teaching model, based on lectures and exams, with Project-Based Learning (PBL) combined with online platforms for laminate calculations. Throughout the 2025-2 semester, 16 students organized in groups developed complete projects of composite material parts or structures, ranging from fiber and matrix selection to structural design and manufacturing process specification. The results showed a pass rate of 81% and average grade of 6.0, surpassing the historical averages of the course (66% and 4.9, respectively). Student evaluation was significantly positive, with maximum scores (5.0) in items such as contribution to education and usefulness of knowledge. The article analyzes the strengths of the methodology, difficulties encountered, and it presents recommendations for the revision of engineering program curricula.
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