Engineers Australia has partnered with the Department for Education South Australia to deliver an innovative classroom program bringing real engineering challenges into primary schools.

Following a successful pilot in 2024 involving five schools, the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) program grew significantly in 2025, reaching 33 schools across South Australia – 21 metropolitan and 12 regional, through Terms 2 and 3. The initiative gave 1600 students the opportunity to think, collaborate and problem-solve like engineers, while also providing teachers with new ways to deliver STEM content.

PBL is a student-centred teaching approach where students work together to solve complex, authentic problems that don’t have a single correct answer. The problems are designed to be genuine, current, multifaceted- and crucially, not something students can simply ‘Google’ their way through. Engineers Australia members played a central role, presenting a real engineering challenge to students, returning mid-term to provide feedback and finally attend a showcase of student solutions at the end of the project. In some cases, site visits and research sessions helped bring the challenge to life. 

A highlight of the 2025 rollout was Oakbank School in the Adelaide Hills, where a Year 4 class tackled a real-world infrastructure challenge: how to replace a water mains pipe currently located on a heritage bridge crossing the Murray River. Engineers from WSP – Brayden Jenke, who also participated in the 2024 pilot, together with colleagues Nas Nabipour and Lawrence Harms – introduced the problem and accompanied students on a site visit to Murray Bridge. Over the term, students worked in teams to research, test ideas and develop solutions. Their final presentations were then presented in front of a panel that including Engineers Australia South Australia General Manager Jan Irvine, school leaders, Department for Education representatives and the WSP engineers themselves. 

Feedback from the program has highlighted the positive impact on student engagement. One engineer noted, “the way the students get so involved and invested in the problem, obvious from the initial question at the kick-off and even more so at the workshops, there is positive impact from the program.” Another reflected, “the project resulted in many different solutions/outcomes presented by the students. It showed me how the problem requires an open-ended solution so students can investigate and think about how they can creatively solve problems in a STEM environment.” 

Teachers also valued the connection between classroom learning and real-world application. As one teacher commented, “it gave them a real problem to work on, which showed them that what they do in school has relevance to real life. Some of the students really jumped at the opportunity to be creative in their thinking and developed their research skills to improve their understanding of the topic and of possible solutions.” 

Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of South Australia and Project Lead for the Department for Education SA, Dr Sue Gaardboe, said the program also strengthened the way teachers approach STEM in the classroom. “By connecting authentic problems to the curriculum, teachers are able to see students develop critical thinking and collaboration skills in real time. Students identify and apply the relevant learning from their STEM subject lessons to develop effective solutions to the problem. It’s encouraging to see how quickly students take ownership of the problem and work together to find creative solutions.” 

The program has been equally rewarding for engineers, who valued the chance to share their expertise and inspire young people. “The PBL program allowed students to take ownership of a real-life engineering problem. It was clear that they had workshopped a lot of different ideas before their final presentation and had really taken the feedback onboard.” 

The 2025 program has now concluded with strong outcomes across the board. Students developed critical thinking, teamwork and creativity through applying STEM knowledge to solve a problem, while gaining an early understanding of what engineers do. Teachers benefitted from curriculum-aligned professional development, and engineers had the opportunity to share their expertise in a meaningful way. 

PBL proved to be more than a classroom activity- it’s a way of connecting schools with industry and inspiring the next generation of engineers. By engaging students early, fostering curiosity and creativity, and showing the real impact of engineering, the program is helping build the pipeline of skilled professionals South Australia will need for the future. 

“Problem-Based Learning doesn’t just help students solve problems,” said Engineers Australia South Australia General Manager Jan Irvine. “It helps them see themselves as future engineers who can shape their communities and our nation.”