NEW TEACHING METHOD APPLIED TO HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Spain is adapting its Higher Education to the EEES, which requires a review of traditional methods of teaching and learning, from methods based on transmission of knowledge from teacher to student to another based on the acquisition of abilities and lifelong learning.

This paper presents the results of a study carried out in the Higher Technical School of Civil Engineering of Belmez (University of Cordoba) during the last academic year 2009/2010 applied to Highway Engineering. It has allowed to compare the traditional method (TM) based on the lecture – the resolution of numerical problems and final exam with the innovation method (IM) based on the lecture too – solving problems at home that students must self-assessment – continuous assessment exams - the use of virtual tutorials and the use of commercial software-design of roads.

The number of students passed with innovation method is much higher than traditional method, and better final grades. We assessed the level of students’ satisfaction with the innovation method, the most valuable teaching activity for the acquisition of abilities is the problem solving in class by the teacher, and use of software to solve real problems and virtual tutorials have been less valued than expected. Working hours of the students (ECTS) were measured with weekly surveys.