New Perspectives in Science Education
Experimental evidence of the Problem-Based Learning in Mechanical Engineering Classes and participants’ perception
Raquel Ramirez-Vazquez, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Applied Physics Department, Polytechnic School of Cuenca, University Campus, 16071-Cuenca, Spain MORFEO Research Group, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. (Spain)
Rosely Maria Velloso Campos, Mechanical Engineering Department, PUC Minas University, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Brazil)
Júnia Moraes Lage e Silva, Virtual PUC Minas Department, PUC Minas University, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Brazil)
Guilherme Rafael Gonçalves, Electrical Engineering Department, PUC Minas University, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Brazil)
John Carter Oliveira Santos, Electrical Engineering Department, PUC Minas University, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Brazil)
Felipe Venancio Mitkiewicz Silva, Electrical Engineering Department, PUC Minas University, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Brazil)
Isabel Escobar, Applied Physics Department, Faculty of Computer Science Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avda de España s/n, Campus Universitario, 02071 Albacete, Spain MORFEO Research Group, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. (Spain)
Augusto Belendez, Physics Department, Systems Engineering and Signal Theory, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig Road - 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain (Spain)
Enrique Arribas, Applied Physics Department, Faculty of Computer Science Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avda de España s/n, Campus Universitario, 02071 Albacete, Spain. MORFEO Research Group, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. (Spain)
Abstract
This paper presents a case study of an interdisciplinary project, developed by students, proposed to design, and assemble a small autonomous car to participate in a competition event with 40 teams, during the first semester of PUC Minas' Mechanical Engineering course. This is experimental evidence of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) effectiveness in Mechanical Engineering Classes. This intervention about the PBL implementation was carried out together with measuring the participants’ perception of the environment and the assessment methods used, to know the impact before and after the implementation of the activity.
In the Flipped Classroom methodology, students can see the subject before the class and the professor has a role beyond transferring information. Their principal task is giving support to students to develop their technical skills in addition to their soft skills, like leadership, project management, and teamwork. In this methodology formal lectures are replaced by video classes, and the students acquire the concepts of the content of the classes before the face-to-face encounter. Afterward, in the face-to-face one, they will oversee some tasks, collectives or individuals, which aim to drive them to evolve their set of skills.
We study inverse classes methodologies and techniques to develop this project. We elaborated didactic material, documents, and presentations Power Point, where the student could access whenever he wanted, and be able to review the information before attending class. The students have shown development in some soft skills such as autonomy, responsibility, teamwork, leadership, creativity, conflict resolution, peer assessment and self-assessment. They improved your skills like programming, problem-solving, and digital media skills.
Keywords: Arduino and mathematics, participants’ perception, peer and self-assessment, Problem-Based Learning, programming and robotics.
