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Perception of the acquisition of generic competences in engineering degrees

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Noelia Olmedo at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Noelia Olmedo
María Martínez Martínez
María Martínez Martínez
María Martínez Martínez
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Antoni Perez-Poch
Antoni Perez-Poch
Antoni Perez-Poch
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Beatriz Amante García at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Beatriz Amante García
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Abstract and Figures

The aim of this paper is to analyze what generic competencies at the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC BarcelonaTech) are most evaluated by the teaching staff belonging to the first curricular block of industrial engineering degree courses at the Barcelona Escola Universitaria d’Enginyeria Técnica Industrial, and also to relate these competencies to the assessment tools and the types of session most frequently used in the evaluation of the said competencies. Furthermore, it is intended to determine the level of acquisition of the generic competencies (related to their profession) as perceived by the students themselves during their course of study and their completion of the Final Year Degree Project (Project Trabajo Final de Grado—TFG). To that end, a group of 140 university teachers and a population of 145 students were each the object of an anonymous online survey while they were engaged on the Final Year Degree Project (TFG). The results of this survey show that the competencies most evaluated by the university teaching staff, in order of importance, are as follows: autonomous learning, the effective use of information resources, teamwork, and good oral and written communication, while the most frequently used tools of assessment are the rubrics. Autonomous learning is the generic competence perceived by the students as being the one most acquired during their completion of the TFG.
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Perception of the acquisition of generic competences
in engineering degrees
Noelia Olmedo-Torre
1
•Marı
´a Martı
´nez Martı
´nez
2
•
Antoni Perez-Poch
3
•Beatriz Amante Garcı
´a
4
Accepted: 7 December 2016 / Published online: 21 December 2016
Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016
Abstract The aim of this paper is to analyze what generic competencies at the Universitat
Polite´cnica de Catalunya (UPC BarcelonaTech) are most evaluated by the teaching staff
belonging to the first curricular block of industrial engineering degree courses at the
Barcelona Escola Universitaria d’Enginyeria Te´cnica Industrial, and also to relate these
competencies to the assessment tools and the types of session most frequently used in the
evaluation of the said competencies. Furthermore, it is intended to determine the level of
acquisition of the generic competencies (related to their profession) as perceived by the
students themselves during their course of study and their completion of the Final Year
Degree Project (Project Trabajo Final de Grado—TFG). To that end, a group of 140
university teachers and a population of 145 students were each the object of an anonymous
online survey while they were engaged on the Final Year Degree Project (TFG). The
results of this survey show that the competencies most evaluated by the university teaching
staff, in order of importance, are as follows: autonomous learning, the effective use of
&Noelia Olmedo-Torre
olmedo@ege.upc.edu
Marı
´a Martı
´nez Martı
´nez
rosario.martinez@upc.edu
Antoni Perez-Poch
antoni.perez-poch@upc.edu
Beatriz Amante Garcı
´a
beatriz.amante@upc.edu
1
Department d’Expressio
´Gra
`fica a l’Enginyeria, Escola Universitaria d’Enginyeria Te
´cnica
Industrial de Barcelona (EUETIB), Universitat Polite
`cnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
2
Departamento de Ingenierı
´a Quı
´mica, Escuela Te
´cnica Superior de Ingenierı
´a Industrial de
Barcelona (ETSEIB), Universitat Polite
`cnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
3
Department de Cie
`ncies de la Computacio
´, Escola Universitaria d’Enginyeria Te
´cnica Industrial de
Barcelona (EUETIB), Universitat Polite
`cnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
4
Departmento de Proyectos de Ingenierı
´a, Escuela Te
´cnica Superior de Ingenierı
´a Industrial y
Aerona
´utica de Terrassa (ETSEIAT), Universitat Polite
`cnica de Catalunya (UPC), Terrassa, Spain
123
Int J Technol Des Educ (2018) 28:495–506
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-016-9390-z
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... Thus, in addition to courses on technical aspects, future engineers must study courses related to law, economics, and management. In addition, students are required to specialize in a specific branch of knowledge on many engineering degrees [4]. The clearest example is Industrial Electronic Engineering and Industrial Mechanical Engineering. ...
... The survey was designed by the authors of the study following the guidelines of other similar studies [4,29] and with the support of colleagues who are experts in the development of this type of surveys. ...
... Engineering courses are often characterized by their high practical content and the close link between theory and practice [5]. Therefore, a correct understanding and learning of practical concepts implies that any doubt about them, however simple it may seem, should be solved [4]. The teacher's role is also fundamental in the fourth aspect addressed by students: the course concepts that are taught should have proper examples and their scope of application should be clearly shown. ...
Reflections throughout the COVID-19 Lockdown: What Do I Need for Successful Learning of Engineering?
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The intention of this study was to identify the elements that engineering students consider fundamental for successful learning on engineering courses. The aim was to provide generic guidelines suitable for any engineering course with which the teaching may be adapted in the light of comments from students, while student learning improves. The abrupt transition from face-to-face to asynchronous online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted reflection among students on both teaching methods. Students were invited to evaluate each method through a survey of open-ended questions, identifying useful elements for their learning. The survey was repeated over nine weeks, to obtain the views of students after they had accepted the change and had critically analyzed how to improve online teaching. A cross-coded qualitative and mixed (word counting) analysis showed that the explanation of engineering concepts should be organized, hierarchical, repetitive, and exemplified. Furthermore, the teacher should link all the activities and projects to the concepts explained and quickly solve any doubts that they raised. As a consequence of the online teaching resulting from COVID-19, the need of independent student learning and peer support was also very evident. Teaching functions are essential on engineering courses, as teachers have to explain the overall concepts carefully, identify the key concepts, and demonstrate their industrial and professional applications. Furthermore, teaching methodologies that balance these aspects with autonomy and peer support for learning on engineering courses should be promoted.
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... These skills are divided into two categories: hard skills and soft skills. However, ABET also emphasizes the importance of students being able to develop new skills to meet the requirements of their organizational structures and participate in any project at their workplaces [18]. ...
Games and Arts as Tools for Developing Generic Skills in Engineering Students
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In today’s educational landscape, the integration of innovative pedagogical approaches is essential for improving student learning. In this respect, game-based learning appears to be a strategy that not only actively engages students—who often struggle to understand scientific concepts, leading to negative emotions and discouragement—but also helps them acquire transferable skills. Particularly in the field of telecommunications engineering, where the practical application of knowledge is essential, the use of educational games offers a unique opportunity to explore and reinforce specific and general skills. In this study, a cross-sectional quantitative methodology was implemented using a representative sample of 64 undergraduate students in the sixth semester of the telecommunications engineering program at a public university. In general, educational games are primarily intended to evoke emotions in participants, such as enjoyment, to help them cultivate a “receptive learning mindset” and to effectively teach a specific subject. In contrast to these approaches, the game proposed in this study incorporates humanistic skills and artistic tools to construct antennas within a specific context. This enabled students to engage in a practical, applied learning experience in their field of study, focusing on three key aspects: appropriating knowledge, building values, and learning about life, as well as recognizing others in society and interacting with the environment. The results obtained using the proposed game-based strategy were compared with those obtained using conventional teaching tools. The results showed that play not only imparted knowledge but also contributed to students’ overall development by fostering the values and skills essential to their personal and professional success. The results underscore the significance of developing games that authentically simulate project processes and activities. This emphasizes the importance of aligning game dynamics with real-world challenges and situations in the field of telecommunications engineering. This simulation-based approach may be the key to maximizing the impact of game-based learning on the training of future professionals in this field. This comparative study helps fill a gap in knowledge about game-based learning in engineering education by providing valuable insights. It is also important to comprehend the impact of game-based learning on an antenna course and the students’ willingness to engage with this innovative teaching style in the classroom.
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... Se han publicado varios informes son las competencias del ingeniero del siglo XXI, las cuales deben fundamentarse en las competencias genéricas y en las específicas, donde se articulen las dimensiones cognitivas, socioafectivas, axiológicas, actitudinales y aptitudinales [6]. Diversos estudios proponen las competencias que requiere el ingeniero para emplearse y que les permite ascender laboralmente [7]. En algunos estudios como el de [8] y [9], se encuentra que los empleados atribuyen un alto valor a los graduados que poseen las siguientes capacidades: como comunicarse de manera efectiva, trabajar como parte de un equipo, tomar la iniciativa, pensar críticamente y ser capaz de resolver problemas. ...
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... Several studies have investigated the understanding of the development of generic competences in active learning environments (Groen, Bijsmans, and Adriaensen 2020), university students' perceptions of the acquisition of generic competences (Olmedo-Torre et al. 2016), or the importance of developing the affective and emotional dimension of generic competences (Montalvo-Garcia, Martí-Ripoll, and Gallifa 2021). In the European context, the Tuning Model (González and Wagenaar 2003) grouped the main generic competences into instrumental, interpersonal and systemic categories. ...
Undergraduate students’ perceptions of the development of generic competences and their relevance to the engineering profession
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Generic competences are essential for engineers’ career advancement. However, different approaches for managing these competences across educational programmes in engineering exist. Our research aimed to explore the perceptions of undergraduate naval-engineering students enrolled in an elective leadership subject of the most relevant generic competences in the engineering profession. This study also identified their perceptions of developments and areas needing improvement. Applying the inductive method, the study was conducted through a content analysis of 63 portfolios used by undergraduate students at a polytechnic Spanish university. The findings conveyed that ‘collaborating and teamworking’ and ‘managing and leading’ were the most relevant groups of generic competences identified as important for career development. To enhance generic competence training in engineering education, our results propose an integrative perspective of these as a framework. The results reinforce the call for a better understanding of generic competences and metacognitive and conative endurances, supporting a more personalised integration of a holistic view of educational programmes in engineering.
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... How holistic competencies are conceptualised by academics will influence how competencies are taught and learnt in the curriculum (Barrie, 2007). Other studies have researched what holistic competencies are perceived to be most important by academics (Olmedo-Torre et al., 2018;Osmani, Weerakkody, & Hindi, 2017). There are more academic belief studies that look at individual holistic competencies, such as creativity (Bereczki & Karpati, 2018) and critical thinking (Jones, 2007). ...
Academics’ beliefs towards holistic competency development and assessment: A case study in engineering education
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There has been a longstanding discussion in the literature on employers’ dissatisfaction with the engineering curriculum in preparing work-ready graduates. Given that the development of engineering students’ holistic competencies is important to their employability and whole-person-development, Hong Kong has placed much emphasis on students’ holistic competency development (HCD) in its curriculum reforms in the past two decades. However, it remains unknown how engineering academics’ beliefs have changed under mounting top-down pressure. Therefore, this study examines the beliefs of Hong Kong engineering academics about HCD and the contextual factors influencing their beliefs via six interviews. Generally, academics’ beliefs were supportive to various curricular efforts to develop students’ holistic competencies, but they also expressed concerns about the value and assessment of these competencies. It was found that academics simply follow the top-down reforms without acknowledging the value of holistic competencies. Implications for deepening curriculum reforms for HCD in engineering education are provided.
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... Interpretations are also strongly influenced by the disciplinary culture (Jones, 2009); for example, Hoddinott and Young (2001) found that engineering teachers have a narrow view of generic competencies, focusing on the academic value of skills such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking for the improvement of academic work like laboratory report writing, projects, and presentations. Although in the past 20 years, engineering teachers have come to acknowledge the value of generic competencies (Olmedo-Torre, Martínez, Perez-Poch, & García, 2018), these issues still make it difficult to distinguish inclusions of competencies in intended course learning goals, especially when they are not explicitly stated. ...
Constructive alignment between holistic competency development and assessment in Hong Kong engineering education
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Background Holistic competencies comprise various holistic skills (e.g., communication) and positive values and attitudes (e.g., empathy). There have been increasing efforts worldwide to foster students' holistic competency development within engineering curricula. While recent studies indicate a positive shift, it remains unclear whether such efforts are driven by only a handful of individuals or more widely supported by systemic changes to constructively align competency development with the engineering curriculum. Purpose/Hypothesis This study investigates the extent to which endeavors to promote holistic competency development in Hong Kong's tertiary engineering education are supported by a broader, constructively aligned curricular system. The three key components of constructive alignment developed by Biggs in 2003—intended outcomes, teaching activities, and assessment—form the conceptual framework guiding this study. Design/Method This study conducted document analysis of 245 engineering courses and interviews with five engineering instructors from three Hong Kong universities. Results Only 34 of 245 syllabi analyzed incorporated holistic competencies in their intended outcomes. These outcomes were associated with both traditional and experiential pedagogies but were not matched with direct or explicit assessments. Data show that program leaders' conceptions of holistic competencies, instructor's limited capabilities, and issues assessing competencies pose challenges to constructive alignment. Conclusions Challenges for achieving constructive alignment and recommendations for addressing them are discussed. Our findings highlight the need to train all levels of engineering instructors in student holistic competency development, to acquaint instructors with industrial experiences and expectations, to develop top‐down and bottom‐up reforms to refine engineering curricula, and to provide increased recognition for teaching quality and efforts.
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... These teaching methodologies have been applied since 2015 in this subject (authors' publications [60][61][62]) with satisfactory results. The slightly increasing trend ( Figure 9) in the final marks of the subject demonstrates this, as does the increase in satisfaction with the performance of the different methodologies. ...
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