Abstract:

Traditionally, Spanish higher education was based on master classes, where the teacher was talking for hours on a class platform, and written exams, to grade the students at the end of the course. However, this educational system is not sufficient anymore due to the development of new technologies which is influencing the living way. Consequently, the abilities and needs for daily life are greatly changing in this digital era, where technology is a must. Nowadays, students should learn to be productive in a continually and highly demanding environment. They need a wide range of competences to progress in a complex multilateral system. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce a big innovation in the higher education in Spain.

Nevertheless, this necessity is not new, because more than twenty years ago Doménech Betoret already described several strategies and changes to improve the teaching and assessing methodology. Creativity and critical information processing must be included in order to allow the students to get a meaningful lifelong learning. Lessons should be diversified and dynamic for motivating the students to dig into the topic and to take advantage of the acquired knowledge. In addition, evaluation should be continuous and based on the learning process, not in the grading. Thereby, the Pygmalion effect becomes a vital educational tool for the educators to influence the student performance by establishing high expectations, improving their selves-confidence, selves-motivation and any other personal or professional skills. In that case, students will arise as their best version turning into full grown-ups able to face and solve problems with no difficulties.

This is a profound change in the higher education teaching and evaluation methodology, which implies a great effort for the educators. It needs time, motivation and open-mindedness to upgrade each subject. This necessary evolution will take years and will be easily applied by teaching teams rather than by a single teacher. Fortunately, educators are willing to provide the best higher education to the students and the teaching renovation has already started.

References:
[1] Doménech Betoret, F. (1999). El proceso de enseñanza/aprendizaje universitario: aspectos teóricos y prácticos. Universitat Jaume I. Servei de Comunicació i Publicacions.

Keywords:

Lifelong learning, Pygmalion effect, high expectations, professional skills.