Abstract:

The academic quality of postgraduate programs is closely related to the practice of research; therefore, there is a tendency to include subjects for research training in the curricular design. In postgraduate studies in engineering, two training purposes are prioritized for research. The first related to the knowledge and application of techniques and methodologies for problem analysis, the design of experiments, and the explanation of problem situations; the second is related to the development of capabilities in productive functions such as development, design, creation, and understanding.

Generally, these purposes are materialized in the elaboration of a graduate thesis, so the subject Methodology of Scientific Research focuses on training students in the elaboration of a research project that must meet the requirements of academic work.

The difficulties faced in this training process are related to the poor understanding of the fundamental concepts linked to each of the proposed topics, in particular with the identification of the paradigm: quantitative, qualitative or mixed, study units, population, probabilistic and non-probabilistic samples, random samples, representative samples, variables, and operationalization.

In this context, in order to overcome the difficulties in the retention and understanding of knowledge, the need to redesign the teaching-learning processes through the use of methodologies and pedagogical support tools was considered. The appropriate, logical and reasoned use of these methodologies and tools can make learning more enjoyable and interesting for a student.

The experience consisted of the implementation of a pedagogical crossword puzzle and its application in the subject Methodology of Research of the Master's Degree in Systems Engineering. This subject was developed online under a b-learning modality with the support of the Moodle platform.

The constructivist approach recognizes that knowledge is a dynamic and interactive process between different people, so the students were given a list of the fundamental terms they should know. The students cooperatively built a glossary of terms, built the glossary the teacher reviewed the contents and gave them the appropriate structure. The final glossary served as the basis for the generation of crossword puzzles using Moodle's "Crossword" application.

The crossword puzzle was used as an instrument to evaluate the appropriation and understanding of the chosen concepts. For this purpose, a virtual session was convened through the Moodle platform, in this session each student received a different crossword puzzle that he had to solve in 30 minutes. The qualifications obtained were part of the continuous evaluation of the subject.

The results of the evaluation show improvements in both aspects: appropriation and understanding of concepts in relation to students from previous courses who did not carry out the experience. Then, it is inferred that crossword puzzles were useful as a tool for feedback from what was worked on in class and that they served to reinforce concepts that required additional study effort.

In order to know the students' perception of the activity, a survey with 4-level Likert scale questions was applied. Students agreed that it provided them with positive motivation for learning, that it was a fun form of evaluation, and that it improved their commitment to study, self-confidence, and sense of creative achievement.

Keywords:

Postgraduate degree, Methodology of Scientific Research, Didactic resources, Crossword puzzle.