Blue Engineering Course Concept

What is the Blue Engineering course?

The Blue Engineering course is an interdisciplinary teaching format that enables prospective engineers and students interested in technology to change their perspective. The focus is on a critical examination of the social and ecological effects of technical activities. Traditional teaching structures are deliberately broken up: The course focuses on a variety of methods, cooperation and a high degree of personal responsibility. Participants not only take responsibility for their learning process, but also actively shape the teaching process and contribute to the further development of the course. This student-driven teaching/learning is therefore a model for collaborative, democratic learning in higher education.

What is the aim of the Blue Engineering course?

The aim of the course is to enable future engineers to consciously perceive and responsibly shape their role in social transformation processes. They learn to recognize the social, ecological and ethical dimensions of technical developments and to take them into account in their thoughts and actions. This is not only about individual understanding, but also about collective, democratic action and design - especially in the later professional context. In the course, students therefore acquire orientation knowledge, ethical judgment and concrete design skills to help shape technical developments in the sense of a sustainable and solidary society.

What are the learning objectives of the Blue Engineering course?

The course pursues five central learning objectives aimed at the comprehensive personal and social development of the participants. These objectives are not conveyed in abstract terms in the course, but are made tangible through cooperative processes, practical design and continuous reflection. Students expand both their specialist knowledge and their ability to act responsibly in complex social contexts.

Students...

...reflect on the social role of technical developments and critically examine their social, ecological and ethical dimensions.

...develop an awareness of their personal responsibility in the context of their future professional activities and learn to actively assume this responsibility.

...work together with others on a shared understanding of social challenges and learn how joint action can contribute to democratic solutions.

...acquire 12 design skills that are specifically tailored to the course and relate to education for sustainable development (ESD).

...actively shape the course - both in terms of content and structure - and thus contribute to the further development of learning culture and responsibility in engineering education.

What are building blocks in the Blue Engineering course?

Building blocks are the core of the course. The concept of the building blocks is as follows: They are 30 to 90-minute long, clearly structured learning/teaching units that deal with relevant topics in the context of technology, the environment, society and responsibility. A variety of methods are used: role plays, talk shows, station-based learning, discussion formats, picture books and interactive games. The building blocks are designed in such a way that they can be carried out by non-experts - the focus is on moderation, participation and joint reflection. There are now over 140 freely accessible building blocks that are constantly being developed and are also used outside the course.

How is the Blue Engineering course structured?

The course is divided into three consecutive phases: Orientation, Application and Design, each lasting around five weeks and thus extending over an entire semester. In each phase, students gradually take on more responsibility for the content, methods and learning culture of the course. This three-part structure creates space for individual learning, collective action and democratic educational experiences - and strengthens the ability to negotiate technical and social issues together and shape them responsibly.

Orientation phase – Tutors conduct six fixed basic building blocks to familiarize participants with the course's working methods, thematic focus and didactic approach. The focus is on topics such as technology assessment, responsibility, gender and technology, the productivist world view and the social significance of technology, including its ecological and social impact. At the same time, initial impulses are given for self-reflection and cooperation in changing small groups.

Application phase - In fixed small groups, the participants take on the implementation of an existing building blocks. They prepare this independently, moderate it for their fellow students and then reflect on the process together with the group and the tutors. In this way, they expand their methodological and communication skills and learn to actively shape complex learning processes.

Design phase – Over the course of the semester, the groups develop their own building block on a topic of their choice. They implement this using suitable methods, carry it out for their fellow students for the first time and document it comprehensively for later reuse. Multi-stage peer and tutor feedback accompanies the process and promotes quality. The students' own educational work is thus not only reflected on, but also passed on in concrete terms - a contribution to the continuous further development of the Blue Engineering course.

How are participants in the Blue Engineering course assessed?

The assessment takes the form of a portfolio examination consisting of four equally weighted components with 25% each. The individual elements not only strengthen individual engagement with the content, but also collective, productive action in groups.

Learning journal – Individual reflection after each session. It serves to deepen what has been learned, to link it to personal experiences and to document one's own learning processes.

Implementation of an existing building block – Small groups carry out an existing building block - including planning, moderation and follow-up.

Development of an own building block – Each group develops a new, innovative teaching/learning format that addresses a relevant topic and is documented for further use.

Documentation of the building block – The developed building blocks are prepared in such a way that others can use them in full and develop them further - including didactic instructions, a list of materials and reflection questions.

Who can take part in the Blue Engineering course?

The course is primarily aimed at prospective engineers, but is also open to students from other disciplines - such as social sciences, planning or humanities. Previous technical knowledge is not required. What is important is an interest in socially relevant issues relating to technology, sustainability and responsibility. The diversity of the participants is expressly desired - it creates the space for interdisciplinary learning, new perspectives and shared visions.

Who offers the Blue Engineering course?

The Blue Engineering course is usually run by trained tutors at the universities who have taken part in the course themselves and are now guiding others. This emphasizes the student-driven character of Blue Engineering. They are supported by a lecturer. Anyone wishing to establish a course at a new university can access a comprehensive starter kit - both in digital and analog form. This contains all the materials and instructions you need to get started straight away. If required, the network of experienced course leaders can support you with advice from colleagues.

Where is the Blue Engineering course already offered?

The Blue Engineering course takes place regularly at several universities, including TU Berlin, HTW Berlin, TU Delft, HS Düsseldorf, TH Köln, Uni Rostock and HS Ruhr West. It is anchored in the compulsory elective area of various degree courses and is worth 5 to 6 ECTS points. The courses usually comprise 25 to 100 participants. Over 4,000 students have already completed the course. The wide range of universities shows that the concept can be used flexibly and successfully in different contexts.

How can I offer the course at my university?

The Blue Engineering course has a completely modular structure and is therefore particularly adaptable. With the starter kit, a course can be implemented quickly and easily - whether in the digital space, as a block course or over the entire semester. Interested students and lecturers can use the existing material, set their own priorities and adapt the course to local circumstances. The peer-to-peer exchange within the network is helpful: newcomers can receive intensive support on request - from the first planning step to the actual implementation.

How is the course evaluated?

The impact of the Blue Engineering course is regularly evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively - with consistently positive results. The evaluation results make it clear that the course imparts far more than just knowledge. It strengthens the awareness of responsibility, promotes the ability to help shape the future - and opens up spaces for democratic learning in the context of technical education.

Recommendation rate – Around 90% of participants would recommend the course to others. Around every second person takes part on the basis of a personal recommendation - a clear sign of the lasting relevance of the format.

Qualitative development – The building blocks developed by students impress with their depth of content, creative approaches and strong social relevance. Many deal with topics that are rarely covered in regular engineering studies. The prospect of their own work being used by others in the future is particularly motivating - a contribution to the shared educational landscape.

Quantitative skills development – In the self-assessment of the 12 design competencies, students show significant learning gains across the board. On average, the values improve by around one point on a six-point scale - a sign of the lasting effect on thinking, attitude and ability to act.

Scientific support – In his dissertation on the Blue Engineering course, André Baier describes the development of its learning objectives based on the 12 sub-competencies of design competence and a corresponding qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the course: → Education for sustainable development within the engineering sciences - design of learning outcomes and a subsequent course evaluation - André Baier - 2018