Abstract:

Introduction:
This work presents the analysis of a teaching innovation project carried out with the aim of improving the motivation of students enrolled in two Physics courses taught in the first year of the Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering and Product Development at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI). Students in these degree programs perceive Physics as a subject that does not provide significant value for the development of the competencies they are expected to acquire during their undergraduate training. This perception negatively affects student motivation, and success rates are generally low.
Therefore, the objective of this study was to present students with real-world problems that they may encounter in their professional practice and that require knowledge of the physical fundamentals introduced in these courses (Problem-Based Learning methodology, PBL). This approach led students to develop a greater interest in the discipline, which contributed to a considerable improvement in success rates. Problem-solving tasks were carried out in teams in order to foster cooperative work.

Development and PBL methodology:
The project was launched through an introductory session to present this cooperative learning activity, in which students were asked to define a real problem within their professional field related to Physics (for example, the design of an optical instrument for a specific application). Various non-exclusive possibilities were proposed, and according to their interests, students formed groups to solve the selected problem.
Once organized into teams, students distributed the workload, first identifying the relevant tasks required to complete the project. The instructors involved in the proposal monitored progress through group tutorials and guided students to ensure their work was as efficient as possible.
Within a reasonable period (four weeks), students presented their solution through an oral presentation and submitted a written report documenting the work carried out. This project accounted for 20% of the final grade, while the remaining 80% consisted of a written exam. Students who followed the traditional method (TM) were assessed entirely (100%) through the written exam.

Results and conclusions:
The proposed problem involved determining the density of an irregular body in space. To solve it, students had to study different topics covered in the course, such as Fluid Dynamics, Kinematics, and Thermodynamics. Having to independently tackle a problem more closely aligned with the interests of their future profession improved their learning of these subjects.

The proposal was very well received by the students, as reflected in the surveys conducted at the end of the activity. The success of the new teaching methodology was evaluated through a comparative analysis of the final grades of students who followed the PBL methodology and those who followed the traditional method (TM). The success rate (number of students who passed) was higher than that obtained with the traditional method, and grades were also higher.

Keywords:

Education.