Data structures and algorithms game
The activity consists in the implementation of a player for a computer game. The goal is for students to apply the content of the Data Structures and Algorithms course in the bachelor's degree in Informatics Engineering, and the Algorithms course in the bachelor's degree in Mathematics. The game involves a board on which agents make moves that the students control. These moves receive a score and the total score determines the student's ranking.
Student’s e-portfolio in freshman year
We introduce the use of an e-portfolio in two freshman year subjects of the bachelor’s degree in Engineering. The laboratory e-portfolio allows students to learn more actively than they would just carrying out the course activities. An analytical study was incorporated to assess the impact of the e-portfolio in teaching quality over six years. We conclude that it improves motivation and significantly improves teaching quality.
0.0 Architecture workshop
The aim of this course is to help potential architecture students make decisions regarding their future at university. The degree they choose will largely determine their academic and professional life, so we propose to provide them with support in the form of a short prior experience at the university. This support aims to equip secondary school and higher training cycle students seeking to decide on a course of study to answer the question, "Do you want to study architecture?"
History at work
Our main aim is to go beyond the classical model of teaching the history of modern architecture and to encourage students to adopt a participative approach. Starting from the capacities acquired within the first two years of the architecture degree, new tools of research, analysis and criticism are incorporated. The combination of case study work and open debate using the website History at Work create an ideal learning environment. http://www.historiaenobres.net/
Active methodology for digital systems
Implementation of a systematic method in a core subject with a view to developing specific and generic objectives (group work, autonomous learning, project management, etc.). The method seeks to foster student-oriented active learning and is based on the continuous use of problem-based learning to organise the projects that are to be carried out in cooperative groups. Continuous assessment by means of an electronic portfolio facilitates evidence collection and reflective learning.
Electronic prototypes as a tool for directed activity
The experience carried out allows students to work on the design, simulation, implementation and testing of an electronic prototype in groups of two, or preferably three, using project-based and cooperative learning methods. Under the supervision of one of the course lecturers, the group must follow the design specifications given and perform the tasks needed to develop a functionally operational prototype over the course of a semester.
Debates via Twitter
A debating experience among supervised students is presented. Debate in the classroom typically generates very little participation and the discussions tend to be focused on just a few students. The experience consisted of debates on social networks for which participation was close to 100%. It was carried out over two academic years with the participation of 450 students and the results were highly satisfactory.
Problem-based active learning
The methodology consists in asking the students every week to solve a small set of problems that they will work on in class the following week. In the class session, teams of three or four people discuss the solutions and decide on a consensus solution at the end of the class. They receive correction and feedback on this solution during the following session. The results prove that attending and participating actively in class reinforce learning.
Lectures-workshop for group projects
The experience consists of two workshops in which groups present their projects to the other classmates. The group project consists in choosing a building of the cultural heritage, detecting its pathologies, preparing the diagnosis and designing the interventions. The workshops allow students to receive feedback from their classmates through the debate led by the lecturers. The students can develop technical and general skills in the fields of civil engineering and architecture.
Promoting visual health in schools
This is a service-learning proposal that implements an active methodology combining social commitment with acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values. The experience seeks to meet two main needs: to identify visual difficulties that may interfere in learning during schools years, and then result in school failure; and to allow university students to learn in real environments in order to transform knowledge into action and transfer it to the profession.
The puzzle and learning programming
We describe an experience of cooperative learning carried out using the methodology of the puzzle (jigsaw). In particular the puzzle is used as a support tool in a course organised in accordance with the strategy of project-based learning.
Experimental project management in the laboratory
Teaching in the laboratory is still traditionally seen as complementary to theory subjects. However, it can actually be endowed with its own discourse based on experimentation as a method. In addition to the habitual activities of performing measurements and learning the physical and chemical bases of phenomena, in the laboratory students find an excellent scenario for learning and developing skills, attitudes and aptitudes.
Role-playing as a learning tool
A group of students play the role of a junior consulting company in the field of materials science and technology, providing solutions to the requests and requirements of the lecturer acting as the client. The main goals are to provide students with practical experience of materials science and engineering, to foster the development of generic competences and to create a professional scenario in parallel to the academic work. Feedback from the lecturer promotes decision making skills and the general progress of students.
Manufacture of a polymeric material
An active methodology has been used in the Chemical Systems subject since bachelor’s degrees began to be introduced in the 2009-2010 academic year. Problem-based learning was considered as a teaching and learning method with the specific aim of allowing students to come into contact with chemical industries and to develop oral and written communication skills through teamwork and information research skills.
Housing and cooperation
Train architects in the field of cooperation, so that they get capacity of action in cooperation for development projects, as a way of working that seeks to intervene in societies that most need it, from energetic, space and social sustainability. Theoretical contents of the subjects are complemented with experimental workshops and class group work that both focus on the very same projects that are developed in the field.