COMPUTER SYSTEMS ADAPTATION TO THE EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

In this work, we present our experience adapting the subject of Computer Systems of the degree in Chemical Engineering of the University of the Basque Country to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). There are two different groups: one which speaks in Basque and the other one which speaks in Spanish. The main objective of the subject is to learn the principles of computer programming, analyzing the fundamentals of algorithms and applying the concepts using programming languages.

This paper describes the changes caused by the adaptation of the subject to the ECTS system during the last three four years. All those changes were prompted by a pilot project aimed at testing the new system before its startup. We focus on aspects like the distribution of the subject in several categories, the promotion of the self-learning and teamwork and the evaluation methodologies for each of the categories the subject is composed of. At the same time, we connect each of the categories and evaluation processes with the competences to develop by the student and compare all these new proposals with the previous traditional methodology (for example, in terms of percentage of students who has taken part in the strategies or percentage of people who has passed each activity). Finally, we present some conclusions and future ideas we have collected those years based on the results and students' responses to these new methodologies.

Our aim is to share with other people our experience and misgivings about the new educational methodology. We design the subject as based on learning and we want to become know some educational methods that already we are applying.