International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B6. Istanbul 2004 
pedagogic model of PBL constitutes a radical inversion of the 
classical, teacher-centred approach, in which problems 
eventually serve the purpose of demonstrating and/or practicing 
the knowledge to be acquired. In PBL, in contrast, a complex 
and as much as possible real-world problem is the starting point 
for a learning process that is primarily conditioned by the main 
aim to come up with and implement a solution, preferably the 
best. Although this learning process takes place in close 
collaboration with other group members and under intensive 
guidance by the teaching staff, it is in essence an individual- 
centred process in which the student’s responsibility plays a 
crucial role (Boud & Feletti, 1991; Savin-Baden, 2000). In 
PBL, compared to traditional teaching models, the role of the 
student thus becomes that of actor rather than listener, whereas 
the role of the teacher becomes that of guide rather than 
“master” (Cowan, 1998). 
Perhaps contrary to what may be expected, this new role of the 
teacher is rather more demanding than the traditional one. The 
emphasis in PBL on helping the students to define and 
concretize their individual learning processes through e.g. 
posing exploratory questions without providing answers, 
requires from the teacher a greater flexibility and disponibility 
than is customary in traditional teaching. In the case of the 
students working in groups on real problems and closely 
accompanied by the teachers creates a learning environment 
that is highly favourable for the development of professional as 
well as personal skills (Cowan, 1987; Fallows and Seven, 
2000). In addition, with PBL the student will work in an 
environment that bears definite resemblances with what they 
will frequently encounter on the labour market. 
3. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AT ESTGA 
The Study Programme that implements PBL for the 3-year Geo- 
Information Engineering course at ESTGA, is shown in Table 
I. The first study year aims at providing basic training in the 
fields of Mathematics, Informatics and Programming, and 
English as well as a general introduction to Geo-Information 
Engineering, specifically the disciplines of Geodesy, 
Topography and Cartography. After this introductory year, the 
actual PBL is developed around 4 specific themes of a semester 
each. In chronologic order, the 4 themes are “Photogrammetric 
Restitution”, “Cartographic Production”, “GIS Applications”, 
and “Urban Cadastre”. Worth stressing is that the themes are 
ordered such so as to allow subsequent themes to make use of 
data and information produced in the preceding theme(s), and, 
thereby, to allow students to develop an overall perspective of 
the information flows in the production of geographic 
information. 
The individual themes comprise a project as well as the so- 
called associated disciplines that convey the basic knowledge 
and training that are an absolute requisite for students to be able 
to start off with the project. The so-called autonomous 
disciplines provide training complementary to the theme. The 
associated and autonomous disciplines are administered in 
blocks of typically 4 hours, and their time share decreases 
stepwise in the course of the semester as opposed to that of the 
project (Figure 1). The disciplines are evaluated by means of 
exams or periodic assessment, whereas the project work is 
evaluated on the basis of a final report, including its public 
defence before a jury. This public defence, of typically 1 hour, 
comprises a joint presentation of the work as well as a 
discussion with each of the individual group members. The jury 
comprises 3 members, 1 of which is from an external, public or 
private organisation. 
  
H-15W ECTS 
  
TP P 
Year 1 
Mathematics I 75 6,5 
Geometry & Trigonometry 60 4,5 
Mathematics Applied to Geo-Info. Eng. 75 6,5 
Introduction to Informatics 70 5,0 
Programming Applied to Geo-Info. Eng. 70 5,0 
Elements of Geo-Information Eng 80 6,5 
English 30 5,0 
Global Positioning Systems 70 5,0 
Data Base Structuring 70 3,5 
Geology 70 5,0 
Topography I 70 5,5 
Year 2 — semester 1: Photogrammetric Restitution 
Project 260 11,0 
Associated disciplines 
Topography Il 70 5,0 
Photogrammetry | & II 90 75 
Autonomous disciplines 
Mathematical Treatment of Observations 80 6,5 
Year 2 — semester 2: Cartographic Production 
Project 240 10,0 
Associated disciplines 
Computer-assisted Cartography 70 3.3 
Cartographic Representation 70 SS 
Autonomous disciplines 
Remote Sensing 70 5,0 
Orthophotocartography 50 4,0 
Year 3 — semester 1: GIS Applications 
Project 240 10,0 
Associated disciplines 
Geographic Information Systems I 80 6,5 
Project management 40 25 
Autonomous disciplines 
Geographic Information Systems IT 80 6,5 
Quality of Geographic Information 60 4,5 
Year 3 — semester 2: Urban Cadastre 
Project 260 11,0 
Associated disciplines 
Cadastre Planning & Execution 50 4.0 
Quality Control & Superintendency 40 3,5 
Graphical & Numerical Cadastre 70 33 
Legislation & Norms 30 3,0 
Autonomous disciplines 
Socio-economic Aspects of Cadastre 40 3,0 
  
64 
Table 1. Study Programme of the 3-year Geo-Information 
course administered at ESTGA 
H-15W = number of hours over 15 weeks; TP, P = number of 
theoretical-practical and practical hours, respectively; ECTS = 
European Standard Credits 
  
CRUE disciplines 
d disciplines 
disciplines 
evaluation 
evaluation 
evaluation 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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weeks 
Figure 1. Time schedule of PBL semester 
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