Abstract:

Courses, conferences, visits or seminars that are carried out under different academic methodologies are considered university extension activities. They extend the learning of the master classes and reinforce the acquisition of skills and competences of the students. The promotion of these is therefore considered to have high added value and is very necessary, particularly in STEM teachings, since they provide a more direct and applicable vision of many of the theoretical-practical concepts taught in class.

The development of these activities, usually promoted in the last years of the degree courses in engineering, requires a coordination process, especially when the proposals are high and are intended to be developed in short periods of time. For this reason, it is considered necessary to optimize these activities taking into account three main criteria:
i) interest and suitability of the activity to be developed within the framework of the degree,
ii) avoiding the overlapping of several activities in the same time frame and
iii) knowing whether a certain activity can be offered for several subjects in the same course, or in successive courses, as it is multidisciplinary in nature.

To optimize the organization of these activities, not only from a training point of view but also from an economic one (cost, reservation of spaces, etc.), it is necessary to develop a methodology for both horizontal (within the same course) and vertical (different courses) coordination. To achieve this objective, this work has developed a methodology for coordinating university extension activities in the Degree in Aerospace Engineering of the School of Industrial and Aerospace Engineering of Toledo (University of Castilla-La Mancha, UCLM), which is based on the following actions:
(1) The creation of an application form. For each proposed activity, the teacher proposing an activity will need to complete an application form that includes the following items: Title of the proposal, Justification of the proposal, Details of the person proposing it, Group/s and course/s to which it is addressed, Estimated duration, Start date and time, Estimated cost and its justification.
(2) The information collected is assessed by the competent staff (course/degree coordinator and center management) based on the different criteria marked as priority and of interest for said engineering degree.
(3) If the proposed activity is accepted, it is scheduled in the global calendar of course and degree activities.
(4) Finally, once the activity has been carried out, the person responsible will complete a satisfaction questionnaire that includes his or her opinion and that of the students who carried it out.

This questionnaire includes items such as the following:
- What did you like most and least?
- What is your impression of the training provided?
- What is your general assessment of the Activity?
- What would you suggest improving it?
- Would you propose it again?

The implementation of this methodology for the organization, development and collection of all information regarding university extension activities has been received very satisfactorily by the professorate. In addition, it has allowed to know and disseminate all the activities carried out in this degree, which has enabled the optimization of available resources. Likewise, the evaluation by the students who have carried out the activities is collected, showing their true impact and any possible changes or improvements.

Keywords:

Coordination, extension activities, engineering.