Abstract:

Teaching and learning for undergraduate students in engineering require the combination of classroom based teaching and laboratory teaching. Theoretical concepts are explained and developed in the classes. Some numeric exercises are also resolved and discussed in classes. But the students’ formation needs to be complemented with laboratory practical exercises. Traditionally, laboratory practice session consisted of a series of predefined tasks in a script that the teacher provides to students. Students were expected to strictly follow the script to reach the expected results in the class. This model can be useful in the early years of education of students, when teaching is focused on learning basic concepts and techniques. However, this kind of practices limits creativity, self-criticism, thoughtful analysis and independent learning. This paper presents the option of creative practices, in which the student has to solve a problem in a free and independent way. In this model there is no script the student had to follow. Neither student is expected to reach the final result in a single practice session. The result of each problem proposed to the students is not predefined, so there may be as many solutions as students. The teacher must provide students with a basic data about the problem, and some tips for reaching a satisfactory solution. Then the teacher will only act as a guide supervising the work of students, making them think of different options, the advantages and disadvantages of each option, and ultimately, helping them to reach a satisfactory solution. This model has been followed in an environmental engineering course in the degree of Industrial Engineering. We designed a set of practices covering the most important concepts of the course. Students were given basic information about equipment, materials and techniques available in the laboratory. Each practice was related to an environmental problem associated with industrial activity. In each practice, the students should use one of the environmental technologies or processes studied in the theoretical classes. Students should test different operating conditions, different materials or different processes to find the proper solution to each lab practice. Thus, students are forced to use their previous knowledge in the subject complemented with the theoretical concepts form classes and additional information from external information sources (books, databases,…). With this method, students develop their skills in collaborative work and self-criticism.

Keywords:

Environment, engineering, laboratory, teaching, undergraduate students.