Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Integrator element as a promoter of active learning in engineering teaching

2013; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 39; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/03043797.2013.854318

1469-5898

Paulo C. Oliveira, Cristina G. Oliveira,

Problem and Project Based Learning

AbstractIn this paper, we present a teaching proposal used in an Introductory Physics course to civil engineering students from Porto's Engineering Institute/Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP). The proposal was born from the need to change students' perception and motivation for learning physics. It consists in the use of an integrator element, called the physics elevator project. This integrator element allows us to use, in a single project, all the content taught in the course and uses several active learning strategies. In this paper, we analyse this project as: (i) a clarifying element of the contents covered in the course; (ii) a promoter element of motivation and active participation in class and finally and (iii) a link between the contents covered in the course and the 'real world'. The data were collected by a questionnaire and interviews to students. From the data collected, it seems that the integrator element improves students' motivation towards physics and develops several skills that they consider to be important to their professional future. It also acts as a clarifying element and makes the connection between the physics that is taught and the 'real world'.Keywords: higher educationactive learningintegrator elementengineering education About the authorsPaulo C. Oliveira is an Assistant professor and lecturer in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto – Higher School of Engineering (IPP-ISEP). PhD in Didactics of Higher Education from University of Aveiro in 2009, MSc in Mechanic Engineer (Option Fluids and Heat Transfer) in 2001 from Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto and Diploma Degree in Physics and Applied Mathematics in 1994 from Faculty of Science, University of Oporto. Cristina G. Oliveira is a researcher in the Center of Didactics and Technology in Education Trainers, University of Aveiro, in the area of Science and Engineering Education. She has a scholarship from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). PhD in Didactics of Higher Education from University of Aveiro in 2011, MSc in Materials Science and Engineering in 2001 from University of Aveiro and Diploma Degree in Physics Engineering in 1997 from University of Aveiro.