Abstract

The principal aim of the Photonics Centre at NgeeAnn Polytechnic, Singapore, is to provide a broad-based and practice-oriented education and training in photonics and laser technology. Students who choose to do their final-year project in this field, do not have any photonics background at all at the start of their project. However, the Centre's project-based learning programmes have been successfully tried and tested. Through a series of specially selected lectures and experiments, the students are eventually led into the project proper. By the time the students complete their project, they would have gained immense knowledge and hands-on experience in photonics and laser technology. Some examples of competed projects include development of a fiber laser using erbium-doped fiber, polarimetric sensors for damage detection of aluminum materials and concrete structures, development of holographic optical elements and external cavity semiconductor laser sensor. The students have gone on to participate in R&D competitions and have been awarded either the second or top positions. The aim of this paper is to examine the methodology used that has made this form of training successful.

© 2001 Optical Society of America