Abstract:

In this paper the educational role of the Course Assignment in subjects of the technical area is analyzed. Course Assignment can be used as a complement to the classical evaluation consisting of exams and laboratory practices and the delivery of the practice scripts. In particular this paper presents the conclusions obtained after the application of final Course Assignments in two subjects, Smart Grids, (optional subject in the fourth-year of the degrees in electrical engineering and industrial technologies at the University of Zaragoza), and Photovoltaic Solar Energy, (compulsory subject of the first semester of the Master in Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency).

The structure required for this Course Assignment is similar to a scientific paper. In addition to the simple application of the knowledge acquired on a particular topic, a section that we call Reactions is valued. In this section the student must reflect on and expose his own personal and subjective assessment of what has surprised him the most while doing the work, if the topic is important or not, if he has found excessive documentation about it or there is too little information, etc. This develops the critical assessment of the student towards the field object of his study, and even towards his creative work.

The work could be a small project where the most appropriate technical solution for a specific problem is proposed, but in the subjects analyzed in this paper it has been preferred that the student poses, at his convenience, the type of approach to the subject.

The most chosen option by students is usually the revision of the state of the art of a given topic. The student chooses the subject of the work from among the contents of the course. The fact that the students choose the topic supposes an initial effort of reflection to the student about what he wants to work on, according to his interests and / or background and he creates his own expectations. In addition, they must make an oral presentation in a limited time (about 15 minutes) in power point or similar, which requires an effort of synthesis, mental structuring of the ideas in their heads and prioritization of the ideas they must transmit. Students in general are satisfied with their own work and with the evaluation model itself, and they value it positively, so for several years we have relied on this structure.

Keywords:

Course assingnments, evaluation.