Abstract
To serve the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure connectivity strategy and cultivate international talents who are familiar with Chinese engineering standards and understand Chinese engineering culture, this study addresses the problems existing in the teaching of Engineering Drawing for international students from BRI partner countries, such as insufficient learning motivation, poor adaptability of teaching models, and cross-cultural cognitive gaps. It proposes a P3BL (Problem-Project-Persistence Based Learning) three-dimensional collaborative teaching model. This model uses Problem-Based Learning to activate cognitive conflicts in technical standards, Project-Based Learning to build a transformation engine for the implementation of Chinese standards, and Persistence-Based Learning to forge a craftsman bond between cognition and practice. It forms a progressive logic of cognitive activation - resilience maintenance - practical transformation and constructs a trinity talent cultivation system of technology transfer - ability development - cultural identity. Verified by teaching practice cases such as drawing of the hoist shafting for China-Europe Railway Express, this model can significantly enhance international students’ in-depth internalization of Chinese engineering standards and their ability to produce engineering drawings. It also promotes the improvement of their cross-cultural collaboration capabilities and reverse engineering reasoning thinking, and realizes the endogenous enhancement of craftsman spirit and strategic identity. This research provides a new path for the Engineering Drawing course to serve the BRI, helping to cultivate technology + culture compound international engineering talents.
Keywords
Belt and Road Initiative, Engineering Drawing, Teaching Model, Technology Transfer, Cultural Identity
1. Reform Demands and Current Situation Analysis of the Course
1.1. Strategic Demand: The Core Mission of Engineering Drawing Course in Serving the BRI
Infrastructure connectivity is a priority area of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). With the in-depth advancement of the initiative, cultivating international talents proficient in Chinese engineering standards has become an urgent task in educational cooperation. The Education Action Plan for Promoting the Joint Construction of the Belt and Road clearly states that educational cooperation should be used to cultivate professional talents who are familiar with Chinese standards and meet the needs of regional development, providing intellectual support for infrastructure connectivity. As a universal engineering language, Engineering Drawing is not only a core basic course for majors such as mechanical engineering and civil engineering, but also a carrier of technical rules. Its teaching quality directly determines international students’ mastery and application ability of Chinese engineering and technical standards. At the same time, it is also a medium for spreading the craftsman spirit of pursuing excellence, which profoundly affects international students’ in-depth understanding of Chinese engineering culture and is an important support for serving the BRI infrastructure connectivity strategy.
1.2. Practical Dilemmas: Three Major Cross-Cultural Challenges in International Students’ Teaching
Currently, the teaching of Engineering Drawing for international students from BRI partner countries is facing three prominent dilemmas:
The first dilemma is insufficient learning motivation. The content of the Engineering Drawing course is dominated by abstract symbols and standard systems, involving a large number of theoretical contents such as projection rules and labeling standards, and lacks connection with the engineering scenarios familiar to international students. This highly abstract way of knowledge presentation makes international students generally report that the learning process is boring and dull, and it is difficult to establish a connection between the learned content and practical engineering applications. This directly leads to the continuous decline of learning initiative and enthusiasm, and low classroom participation.
The second dilemma is the poor adaptability of the teaching model. Traditional Engineering Drawing teaching mainly focuses on one-way lectures by teachers, emphasizing the indoctrination of theoretical knowledge, and lacks targeted design for the learning characteristics of international students. However, international students from BRI partner countries prefer interactive and experiential learning methods, and hope to deepen their understanding of knowledge through practical operations, case analyses and other links. The mismatch between this teaching model and learning needs leads to a significant gap between teaching effects and training goals.
The third dilemma is cross-cultural cognitive gaps. Due to cultural background differences, international students from BRI partner countries lack in-depth recognition of the craftsman spirit of pursuing excellence and innovation contained in Chinese engineering practice. They often find it difficult to understand the logic that the accuracy of drawing details is equivalent to the reliability of engineering quality, and lack resonance with Chinese engineers’ pursuit of extreme precision in drawing. This forms a cognitive gap and affects their grasp of the cultural connotation behind Chinese engineering standards.
1.3. Research Gaps: The Lack of Cross-Cultural Engineering Education System
Existing research on the teaching reform of Engineering Drawing shows multi-dimensional exploration, but all have insufficient adaptability to the group of international students from BRI partner countries. Among them, some studies focus on local student groups and enhance the teaching connotation by integrating ideological and political elements
| [1] | Zhao, X., Liu, T. L., Yang, Y. Exploration on the Ideological and Political Education Reform in the Course of Engineering Drawing Based on the BOPPPS Model. Journal of Science and Education, 2025, (02): 96-100.
https://doi.org/10.16871/j.cnki.kjwh.2025.02.024 |
[1]
. Although these explorations enrich the humanistic value of the course, they do not consider the cognitive differences of international students under multicultural backgrounds, making it difficult to achieve value resonance in cross-cultural scenarios. As carriers of Chinese engineering standards and culture, international students’ understanding of the cultural connotation in the course directly affects the conceptual consensus in international engineering cooperation.
Other studies focus on the innovation of technical means, such as introducing virtual simulation technology to optimize the teaching process
| [2] | Huerta, O., Unver, E., Arslan, R. An Approach to Improve Technical Drawing using VR and AR Tools. Computer-Aided Design and Applications, 2020, 17(4): 836-849.
https://doi.org/10.14733/cadaps.2020.836-849 |
| [3] | Zhang, P., Ma, J. S., Ma, X. Y., et al. Exploration on Reform of Pan-civil Engineering Drawing Course Based on Virtual Reality and BIM. Journal of Science and Education, 2025, (02): 92-95. https://doi.org/10.16871/j.cnki.kjwh.2025.02.023 |
| [4] | Deng, L. N., Ma, J. C., Zhao, J. Research on Virtual Simulation in Civil Engineering Cartography Teaching Reform. Value Engineering, 2017, 36(03): 170-171.
https://doi.org/10.14018/j.cnki.cn13-1085/n.2017.03.065 |
[2-4]
. Although these explorations can improve the intuitiveness and interest of teaching, they ignore the in-depth collaboration between technical tools and teaching goals. They fail to combine virtual simulation with the output of Chinese technical standards and the dissemination of engineering culture, leading to a disconnect between technological innovation and the standard transfer goals required by BRI infrastructure connectivity, and making it difficult to cultivate international students’ systematic cognition of Chinese engineering specifications.
In the field of full-English teaching for international students, most studies proceed from teaching practice, weaken theory in content, focus on practical skills (such as physical projection and computer drawing) and simplify the theoretical part
| [5] | Deng, E. F., Du, Y. P., Qian, H., et al. Teaching Reform and Practice of Engineering Drawing for International Students. Education and Teaching Forum, 2025, 16: 112-115. https://doi.org/10.20263/j.cnki.jyjxlt.2025.16.018 |
| [6] | Xiao, Z., Liu, Y. X., Deng, J. Discussion of Engineering Drawing Teaching Method in English Teaching. Education Modernization, 2017, 4(28): 178-179.
https://doi.org/10.16541/j.cnki.2095-8420.2017.28.060 |
[5, 6]
. In terms of methods, they introduce interactive models such as PBL, task-driven, and theory + training + design
| [7] | Tan, J. J., Sun, X. S., Lu, X. C., et al. Research on the Teaching Method of Engineering Drawing for International Students Based on the “Theory + Training + Design” Model. Journal of Science and Education, 2019, (19): 76-77.
https://doi.org/10.16871/j.cnki.kjwha.2019.07.034 |
[7]
. In terms of means, they combine multimedia, 3D modeling and practical operations
. Although these studies have improved teaching effects to a certain extent, they are mostly scattered in the optimization of a single link: either focusing on skill training or method improvement, and failing to form a collaborative design of technology transfer, ability development and cultural identity, which cannot meet the needs of BRI engineering for technology + culture compound international talents
.
To sum up, existing research has not fully responded to the dual attributes of international students from BRI partner countries. It has neither systematically integrated Chinese engineering standards to meet their career needs in participating in international engineering in the future, nor lacked the training design of learning ability under cross-cultural backgrounds, nor connected the paths of technology transfer and cultural identity through project practice. The core gap lies in the failure to build a trinity system of technology transfer - practical empowerment - cultural identity to serve the infrastructure connectivity, resulting in a significant gap between teaching effects and the requirements of the BRI infrastructure connectivity for international talents.
1.4. Solution: The Innovative Positioning of the P3BL Three-Dimensional Collaborative Model
The P3BL (Problem-Project-Persistence Based Learning) three-dimensional collaborative model proposed in this study aims to address this gap. It uses Problem-Based Learning to anchor the real needs in BRI engineering practice, Project-Based Learning to integrate the application of Chinese standards and engineering cultural experience, and Persistence-Based Learning to connect the cognitive challenges in cross-cultural learning with the cultivation of craftsman spirit. Finally, it forms a closed loop of technology transfer - ability development - cultural identity, providing a systematic teaching plan for cultivating BRI engineering talents who are familiar with Chinese standards and understand Chinese culture. This innovative design not only fills the research gap in the integration of technology and humanities in cross-cultural engineering education, but also provides an operable teaching paradigm for the international dissemination of Chinese engineering standards, which is of great significance for promoting the in-depth integration of the Engineering Drawing course with the BRI and the cultivation of international engineering talents.
2. P3BL Teaching Design: A Coupling Framework for Serving the BRI
The P3BL three-dimensional collaborative teaching design specifically makes up for the existing gaps in cross-cultural engineering education and responds to the strategic needs of technology and culture dual output for BRI infrastructure connectivity.
2.1. Problem-Based Learning: Activating the Conflict Anchor of Technical Standard Cognition
Problem-Based Learning (PrBL) focuses on exploring around real and complex problems. It originated in the medical school of McMaster University in Canada in 1969, where Howard S. Barrows pioneered the case-driven, group collaboration, hypothesis verification model. Later, with the theory of cognitive constructivism, it spread to engineering, business, teacher education and other disciplines
| [10] | Barrows, H. S., Tamblyn, R. M. Problem-Based Learning: An Approach to Medical Education. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 1980. |
[10]
. Its development path shows an evolution of medical prototype - interdisciplinary expansion - short-cycle micro-cases, emphasizing the improvement of students’ higher-order thinking and metacognitive abilities within a limited time
. Studies have confirmed that Problem-Based Learning can effectively promote knowledge integration and transfer
, enabling learners to upgrade from memorizing rules to understanding the value of standards.
Literature research shows that there are few direct studies on the application of Problem-Based Learning in the Engineering Drawing course
| [13] | Santos, E., Gonçalves, B., de Oliveira, K., et al. Project Based Learning Applied to Technical Drawing. Creative Education, 2018, 9(3): 479-496. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2018.93034 |
| [14] | Yang, J., Jiang, J. Application of Problem-based Learning Method in the Civil Engineering Drawing Course. Science & Technology Information, 2014, 12(05): 124+126.
https://doi.org/10.16661/j.cnki.1672-3791.2014.05.177 |
[13, 14]
, and most of these studies are limited to the discussion at the conceptual level, lacking systematic explanation of its application logic and practical implementation in actual teaching scenarios. It is worth noting that compared with the wide application pattern of Project-Based Learning in this course (with 37 studies accumulated in CNKI), the direct exploration of Problem-Based Learning is only 3 studies, and most of them stay at the level of conceptual discussion. This significant imbalance in the quantity and depth of research reflects the neglect of the key link of cognitive conflict activation in current teaching practice. The P
3BL model proposed in this study places PrBL at the starting point of the teaching chain precisely to fill this gap. Through short-cycle problem exploration, it drives the in-depth understanding of Chinese engineering standards, lays a solid cognitive foundation for subsequent project practice, and realizes the transformation of the learning paradigm from passive acceptance to active construction.
For example, in the Engineering Drawing course, a diagnostic problem such as “why the dimension chain of the gear reducer assembly drawing causes part interference” can be set. Teachers provide faulty physical objects and partial drawings, and students work in groups to measure, compare, draw revised drawings, and finally report the causes of interference and improvement plans. There is no need to produce deliverable complete products, and the focus is on problem discovery - modeling verification - reflection and transfer. By integrating real engineering cases, this method not only responds to the pain point of international students’ passive learning of abstract drawing, but also accurately links the in-depth internalization of technical standards with cross-border engineering needs, forming a closed-loop learning chain of problem - practice - value.
2.2. Project-Based Learning: Building a Transformation Engine for the Implementation of Chinese Standards
Different from the problem - explanation logic of Problem-Based Learning, Project-Based Learning (PjBL) emphasizes starting from real needs and ending with deliverable products. Specifically, Project-Based Learning originated from the concept of learning by doing proposed in Democracy and Education published by John Dewey in 1916
| [15] | Dewey, J. Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: Macmillan, 1916. |
[15]
. In 1918, William H. Kilpatrick, a student of Dewey, formally proposed the Project Method, establishing complete and purposeful action as the learning unit
. Over a century, Project-Based Learning has expanded from manual work in primary and secondary schools in North America to interdisciplinary long-cycle projects in global STEM education. Its core characteristics are: students experience the complete process of needs analysis - design - iteration - public presentation like engineers. Empirical studies have shown that through the whole process control of the project (needs analysis - prototype design - test delivery), Project-Based Learning can significantly improve the efficiency of knowledge transfer and professional competence, enabling learners to upgrade from understanding technical value to mastering the right to formulate standards
.
As the mainstream direction of the reform of the Engineering Drawing course (as of July 2025, 37 studies have been accumulated in CNKI), the long-cycle and output-driven characteristics of Project-Based Learning have been proven to effectively promote knowledge transfer
. However, existing applications mostly focus on skill training and fail to incorporate the output of Chinese standards and cross-cultural collaboration into core goals. By connecting the cognitive foundation generated in the PrBL stage, this study reconstructs the implementation logic of PjBL: shifting from single skill improvement to the practice of standard formulation rights, thereby serving the strategic needs of BRI infrastructure connectivity.
For example, in the Engineering Drawing course, students can be assigned the real commission of “pipeline integration of the new training building on campus”: on-site surveying and mapping → 3D collision detection → drawing construction-level drawings → reporting to the infrastructure department and on-site disclosure. The drawings are finally used for construction, realizing the closed loop of drawing - product - site. By deeply integrating cross-border engineering scenarios, this method not only solves the dilemma of international students’ mechanical application of discrete drawing knowledge, but also transforms the application ability of technical standards into cross-cultural engineering leadership, forming a spiral upward chain of project - output - empowerment.
2.3. Advantageous Value of the Connection between Problem-Based Learning and Project-Based Learning
At the theoretical level, connecting Problem-Based Learning (PrBL) and Project-Based Learning (PjBL) can build a spiral upward chain of cognitive conflict - concept reconstruction - practical transfer. PrBL activates higher-order thinking through short-cycle diagnostic problems, forcing learners to deconstruct the original cognitive framework. PjBL drives the systematic integration of knowledge in complex scenarios through long-cycle real projects (such as cross-border standard adaptation drawing design). The two form educational tension through cycle complementarity (short-chain reaction + long-term refinement) and context progression (single problem → complex engineering), promoting the transformation of knowledge structure from fragmented symbols to professional schemas. More importantly, its multi-dimensional evaluation system integrates process-based reflection (hypothesis verification logs of PrBL) and result-based output (drawing deliverables of PjBL), which doubly strengthens learning motivation and engineering leadership identity.
2.4. Persistence-Based Learning: Forging a Craftsman Bond between Cognition and Practice
On the basis of the spiral upward chain of cognitive conflict - concept reconstruction - practical transfer constructed by Problem-Based Learning (PrBL) and Project-Based Learning (PjBL), Persistence-Based Learning (PeBL), as an innovative supplement of this study, precisely focuses on the gap in cross-cultural learning resilience cultivation that the two fail to fully cover. The Grit Dual Model clearly points out that long-term persistence + continuous passion are the core elements to achieve goals
| [19] | Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., et al. Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2007, 92(6): 1087-1101.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087 |
[19]
, which provides theoretical support for the construction of PeBL.
Specifically, in the Engineering Drawing course for BRI international students, the course has high requirements for spatial thinking and standard precision, coupled with the cross-cultural learning obstacles faced by international students. Only through Persistence-Based Learning with continuous trial and error and repeated polishing can students truly master the essence of the engineering language, which is precisely the core necessity of PeBL. And this perseverance cultivated in the learning process is exactly the embodiment of the core characteristics of the craftsman spirit of pursuing excellence and perseverance. It drives students to go beyond superficial requirements, deeply pursue the engineering logic and extreme precision behind the drawings, and further lay a solid quality foundation for BRI infrastructure cooperation. From the perspective of ideological and political education in courses, the cultivation of this perseverance is not only the forging of professional ability, but also the nourishment of international students’ professional ethics and humanistic feelings. While pursuing engineering precision, they can understand the value of cooperation and common progress of different civilizations, and realize the resonance of skill improvement and value shaping. From a strategic perspective, the sustainable development of BRI projects requires both cooperative resilience that can cross cultural differences and adhere to long-term values, and relies on the engineering quality guaranteed by the craftsman spirit
. The resilience cultivated by PeBL is exactly the key link connecting individual learning, professional literacy and international strategy. It helps international students master skills while growing into BRI builders with both professional ability and cooperative endurance, and ultimately serves the long-term goal of cross-civilization cooperation.
2.5. Integrated Design Framework of P3BL
To sum up, an integrated design framework of P3BL is proposed. Problem-Based Learning (PrBL), Project-Based Learning (PjBL) and Persistence-Based Learning (PeBL) form an organically coordinated closed-loop system through functional complementarity. Among them, PrBL activates thinking through short-cycle real problems (such as why the dimension chain of the gear reducer assembly drawing causes part interference), breaking international students’ passive cognition of abstract norms, but such short-term exploration is difficult to support the resilience cultivation of long-term complex tasks. PjBL realizes knowledge transfer through long-cycle practical projects (such as pipeline integration of the new training building on campus), but may lead to process interruption due to cross-cultural technical conflicts. As a key link connecting the two, PeBL constructs a resilience channel between the problem exploration of PrBL and the project practice of PjBL through the design of step-by-step technical tasks + cultural decoding activities. After completing the conflict diagnosis in the PrBL stage, PeBL immediately follows up the tolerance dimension labeling task, guiding students to record the connection of standard differences - technical logic - cultural roots, and upgrading the single problem-solving to in-depth understanding of Chinese standards. During the advancement of PjBL, PeBL embeds cross-cultural collaboration logs to help international students transform the communication frustrations in the adaptation of multi-country standards into the understanding of the engineering ethics of harmony without uniformity, ensuring the continuous advancement of the project.
The integration of the three methods forms a progressive logic of cognitive activation - resilience maintenance - practical transformation. PrBL lays the cognitive foundation of problem discovery, PeBL provides the resilience support of persistent exploration, and PjBL realizes the practical closed loop of problem solving. This collaborative design not only retains the problem orientation of PrBL and the practical nature of PjBL, but also through the persistence - reflection - identity cycle of PeBL, promotes international students to gradually grow from passive learners of technical rules to active applicators and cultural communicators of Chinese engineering standards, and finally builds a complete talent cultivation system serving the BRI.
3. Construction and Application Effect Analysis of the Teaching Evaluation System Based on P3BL
3.1. Construction of the Evaluation System
To comprehensively evaluate the practical effect of the P
3BL teaching model in cultivating BRI international engineering talents, this study constructs a multi-dimensional and multi-level teaching evaluation system. Closely focusing on the trinity talent cultivation goal of technology transfer - ability development - cultural identity, this system starts from three core dimensions: mastery of technical standards, practical application ability and engineering cultural identity. It sets first-level indicators to clarify the direction of ability cultivation, refines second-level indicators as specific observation points, formulates evaluation point explanations combined with professional requirements and ideological and political connotations, and supports corresponding evaluation tools to ensure the scientificity and operability of the evaluation. The specific content of the evaluation system is shown in
Table 1.
Table 1. Teaching Evaluation System of P3BL.
Dimension | First-Level Indicators | Second-Level Indicators | Explanation of Evaluation Points | Evaluation Tools |
Technology Transfer | Standard Understanding & Transformation Ability | 1.1 Multi-System Specification Difference Identification | Identify view/symbol differences between GB and partner country standards, and explain underlying engineering logic | Standard Difference Rating Scale |
1.2 Cross-Standard Drawing Conversion | Accurately convert foreign standard drawings to GB (or vice versa) with consistent technical logic | Technical Conversion Check List |
Drawing Quality & Precision | 1.3 Drawing Standardization & Completeness | Meet dimension closure, accurate symbols, process matching, and adapt to overseas construction | Drawing Quality Quantitative Scale |
1.4 Complex Configuration Expression | Clearly present spatial structure/assembly of complex overseas components with reasonable view selection | Spatial Expression Evaluation Form |
Ability Development | Spatial Thinking & Modeling Ability | 2.1 3D-to-2D Accurate Expression | Generate 2D drawings from overseas project 3D models (correct projection, complete dimensions) | Spatial Matching Rating Scale |
2.2 Reverse Engineering Drawing Deduction | Deduce drawings from overseas objects/photos (including dimension estimation, structure restoration) | Reverse Rationality Rating Scale |
Drawing Practice & Iteration Ability | 2.3 Efficiency-Standard Balance | Complete drawings in simulated overseas emergency scenarios (balance speed and standards) | Efficiency-Standard Balance Form |
2.4 Cross-Cultural Collaboration & Division of Labor | Collaborate in transnational groups (reflect division of labor, joint problem-solving) | Cross-Cultural Collaboration Rating Scale |
Cultural Identity | Engineering Cultural Identity & Practice | 3.1 Craftsman Spirit Practice | Proactively pursue "zero drawing error" (reflect engineering responsibility, quality bottom line) | Craftsman Spirit Evaluation Form |
| 3.2 Cooperative Ethics Inclusive Practice | Respect other countries' standard suggestions, reflect "harmony without uniformity" in disputes | Cooperative Ethics Rating Scale |
| Strategic Value Cognition Link | 3.3 Standard-as-Link Value Interpretation | Reflect "drawing standards as cooperation links" and explain value with cases | Strategic Cognition Rating Scale |
3.2. Analysis of Application Effects
Through two rounds of teaching practice (2024-2025 academic year, including 32 international students from BRI partner countries), this study conducts multi-source evidence collection. Due to the limitation of the teaching cycle, the current stage is mainly based on qualitative evidence, and the effectiveness of the P3BL model is verified from three dimensions, laying a foundation for subsequent quantitative research.
In the dimension of technology transfer, the in-depth internalization of standards is significantly enhanced. In the project of “drawing of the hoist shafting for China-Europe Railway Express”, international students actively deconstructed the technical logic of standard differences through the fault diagnosis in the PrBL link. The after-class Standard Difference Log shows that 92% of the groups accurately linked the difference between ISO h7 and GB k6 tolerance zones with the Chinese safety redundancy design concept. At the same time, the drawing output ability has achieved a leapfrog improvement. The construction-level drawings produced in the PjBL stage were adopted and implemented by the university’s infrastructure department. Teachers’ feedback shows that compared with traditional teaching, the process matching and cross-border construction adaptability of the drawings of the P3BL group are significantly optimized, and the dimension closure error rate is close to zero.
In the dimension of ability development, a structural transformation has been shown. Cross-cultural collaboration has moved from conflict to consensus. In the Sino-German standard role debate link in PjBL, technical disputes occurred many times due to cultural differences in the early stage. Through the guidance of the cross-cultural collaboration log embedded in PeBL, the logs in the first week frequently showed unable to convince the other party (12 person-times), and by the third week, it turned to adopting the Chinese datum system but integrating the German simplified labeling scheme (9 group schemes were recognized by both parties). Reverse engineering deduction also showed a thinking leap. In the task of reverse drawing based on overseas hoist photos, 75% of the students independently established the deduction logic of functional analysis → datum presumption → error control. For example, the deduction report of Muhtarov, a student from Kazakhstan, was evaluated as professional prediction beyond the course requirements.
In the dimension of cultural identity, endogenous enhancement has been realized. The craftsman spirit has been transformed from cognition to conscious action. The three rounds of tolerance labeling iteration task of PeBL triggered behavioral changes. The initial submission required an average of 1.2 revisions, and by the third round, the active iteration reached 3.5 times. Akramov, a student from Uzbekistan, said, “I finally understand the significance of the 3cm error in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge - precision is the bottom line of safety”. Strategic identity has built a link for standard dissemination. In the multilingual precision commitment declaration link, 100% of the students explained the value of Chinese standards in ensuring the quality of the BRI. The reflection of Pham, a student from Vietnam, is representative: Chinese standards are not rules, but trust contracts for joint construction and shared benefits.
4. Conclusions
Based on the urgent demand for international engineering talents in the BRI infrastructure connectivity strategy, this study addresses the practical dilemmas faced in the teaching of Engineering Drawing for international students, such as insufficient learning motivation, poor adaptability of teaching models, and cross-cultural cognitive gaps. It innovatively proposes a P3BL (Problem-Project-Persistence Based Learning) three-dimensional collaborative teaching model. This model uses Problem-Based Learning to activate cognitive conflicts in technical standards, Project-Based Learning to build a transformation engine for the implementation of Chinese standards, and Persistence-Based Learning to forge a craftsman bond between cognition and practice. The three are organically integrated to form a progressive logic of cognitive activation - resilience maintenance - practical transformation, and construct a trinity talent cultivation system of technology transfer - ability development - cultural identity serving the BRI.
Through the teaching practice of the special topic drawing of the hoist shafting for China-Europe Railway Express, it can be seen that the P3BL model can effectively improve international students’ mastery and application ability of Chinese engineering and technical standards, cultivate their cross-cultural engineering collaboration ability, and deepen their understanding and recognition of the Chinese engineering culture of pursuing excellence and innovation. It provides a systematic solution for cultivating international engineering talents who are familiar with Chinese standards and meet the needs of regional development. The multi-dimensional teaching evaluation system provides a scientific framework for comprehensively evaluating teaching effects, and its design idea effectively fills the gap in the disconnection between technology transfer and cultural identity in existing teaching research.
Of course, this study still has certain limitations. In terms of the breadth of teaching practice, the current cases are mainly concentrated in the field of mechanical engineering, and the adaptability to other majors involving the Engineering Drawing course, such as civil engineering, still needs further verification. In terms of the coverage of cross-cultural scenarios, although engineering cases from some BRI partner countries have been integrated, the differentiated design for the learning characteristics of international students from different cultural backgrounds needs to be deepened. Future research can further expand the application scope of the P3BL model, conduct personalized teaching design for the characteristics of students from different majors and different countries, and strengthen cooperation with universities in BRI partner countries to carry out transnational joint teaching practice, continuously optimize the teaching model, and improve teaching effects.
In conclusion, the P3BL teaching reform provides new ideas and methods for the Engineering Drawing course to serve the BRI. Through the dual-track path of technology empowerment and cultural identity, it can not only improve the professional quality and practical ability of international students, but also promote the international dissemination of Chinese engineering standards and engineering culture, provide solid talent support and intellectual guarantee for BRI infrastructure connectivity, and help build a closer BRI education community and community with a shared future.
Abbreviations
BRI | Belt and Road Initiative |
P3BL | Problem-Project-Persistence Based Learning |
PrBL | Problem-Based Learning |
PjBL | Project-Based Learning |
PeBL | Persistence-Based Learning |
GB | Guobiao Standards |
ISO | International Organization for Standardization |
Author Contributions
Ran Jiao: Conceptualization and Writing – original draft.
Jingyuan Liu: Conceptualization and Writing – review & editing.
Data Availability Statement
No data was used.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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https://doi.org/10.16871/j.cnki.kjwh.2025.02.024
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Jiao, R., Liu, J. (2025). P3BL Teaching Reform of Engineering Drawing for Serving the Belt and Road Initiative: A Dual-track Path of Technology Empowerment and Cultural Identity. Higher Education Research, 10(6), 274-282. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20251006.17
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Jiao, R.; Liu, J. P3BL Teaching Reform of Engineering Drawing for Serving the Belt and Road Initiative: A Dual-track Path of Technology Empowerment and Cultural Identity. High. Educ. Res. 2025, 10(6), 274-282. doi: 10.11648/j.her.20251006.17
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Jiao R, Liu J. P3BL Teaching Reform of Engineering Drawing for Serving the Belt and Road Initiative: A Dual-track Path of Technology Empowerment and Cultural Identity. High Educ Res. 2025;10(6):274-282. doi: 10.11648/j.her.20251006.17
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@article{10.11648/j.her.20251006.17,
author = {Ran Jiao and Jingyuan Liu},
title = {P3BL Teaching Reform of Engineering Drawing for Serving the Belt and Road Initiative: A Dual-track Path of Technology Empowerment and Cultural Identity},
journal = {Higher Education Research},
volume = {10},
number = {6},
pages = {274-282},
doi = {10.11648/j.her.20251006.17},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20251006.17},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.her.20251006.17},
abstract = {To serve the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure connectivity strategy and cultivate international talents who are familiar with Chinese engineering standards and understand Chinese engineering culture, this study addresses the problems existing in the teaching of Engineering Drawing for international students from BRI partner countries, such as insufficient learning motivation, poor adaptability of teaching models, and cross-cultural cognitive gaps. It proposes a P3BL (Problem-Project-Persistence Based Learning) three-dimensional collaborative teaching model. This model uses Problem-Based Learning to activate cognitive conflicts in technical standards, Project-Based Learning to build a transformation engine for the implementation of Chinese standards, and Persistence-Based Learning to forge a craftsman bond between cognition and practice. It forms a progressive logic of cognitive activation - resilience maintenance - practical transformation and constructs a trinity talent cultivation system of technology transfer - ability development - cultural identity. Verified by teaching practice cases such as drawing of the hoist shafting for China-Europe Railway Express, this model can significantly enhance international students’ in-depth internalization of Chinese engineering standards and their ability to produce engineering drawings. It also promotes the improvement of their cross-cultural collaboration capabilities and reverse engineering reasoning thinking, and realizes the endogenous enhancement of craftsman spirit and strategic identity. This research provides a new path for the Engineering Drawing course to serve the BRI, helping to cultivate technology + culture compound international engineering talents.},
year = {2025}
}
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TY - JOUR
T1 - P3BL Teaching Reform of Engineering Drawing for Serving the Belt and Road Initiative: A Dual-track Path of Technology Empowerment and Cultural Identity
AU - Ran Jiao
AU - Jingyuan Liu
Y1 - 2025/12/27
PY - 2025
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20251006.17
DO - 10.11648/j.her.20251006.17
T2 - Higher Education Research
JF - Higher Education Research
JO - Higher Education Research
SP - 274
EP - 282
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2578-935X
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.her.20251006.17
AB - To serve the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure connectivity strategy and cultivate international talents who are familiar with Chinese engineering standards and understand Chinese engineering culture, this study addresses the problems existing in the teaching of Engineering Drawing for international students from BRI partner countries, such as insufficient learning motivation, poor adaptability of teaching models, and cross-cultural cognitive gaps. It proposes a P3BL (Problem-Project-Persistence Based Learning) three-dimensional collaborative teaching model. This model uses Problem-Based Learning to activate cognitive conflicts in technical standards, Project-Based Learning to build a transformation engine for the implementation of Chinese standards, and Persistence-Based Learning to forge a craftsman bond between cognition and practice. It forms a progressive logic of cognitive activation - resilience maintenance - practical transformation and constructs a trinity talent cultivation system of technology transfer - ability development - cultural identity. Verified by teaching practice cases such as drawing of the hoist shafting for China-Europe Railway Express, this model can significantly enhance international students’ in-depth internalization of Chinese engineering standards and their ability to produce engineering drawings. It also promotes the improvement of their cross-cultural collaboration capabilities and reverse engineering reasoning thinking, and realizes the endogenous enhancement of craftsman spirit and strategic identity. This research provides a new path for the Engineering Drawing course to serve the BRI, helping to cultivate technology + culture compound international engineering talents.
VL - 10
IS - 6
ER -
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