Abstract:

This paper shows different procedures for transforming renewable energy research equipment to educational scenarios for active and cooperative learning in engineering education. The progress in teaching and learnimg methodologies is a main educational objective of the Basque Country University. Promoting the permeability between research and engineering education work, improving the motivation for studying in engineering fields with a high grade of professional development, implementing a teaching and learning methodology for integrating students with different motivation and attitudes, and finally awake a social responsibility in environmental challenges are the aim for this proposal. The combination of Project Based Learning (PjBL) methodology, a set of indicators and assessment tools, and technological scenarios will be revealed as a complete educational environment for developing an active and autonomous learning attitude, the connection with social challenges and the transfer to the community. The scenarios described in this paper are based on an Oscillating Water Column-Based Wave Energy Plant and a Photovoltaic Solar Plant.

The most important educational goals stated in this paper have been the improvement in academic efficiency not only in teaching and learning process but an improved vision about the engineering new social necessities, the dexterity acquisition in experimental environments for the theoretical knowledge application to real environments and, in this way, the required competencies for professional development of future engineers and researchers. These are a fundamental part of engineering education within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

The accomplishment of these objectives has become a smooth change in the enrolment tendency curves in the engineering grades affected by a serious decrease of number of new students and an increase is expected in the following years. The new change of student vision of engineering advances in renewable energy generation is a crucial necessity in the next years. Finally, the attraction of technological educators complementing their research interest areas with the educational area is the key for Engineering Education Research advance

Keywords:

Engineering Education, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Project Based Learning, Renewable Energy, Power Electronics Education.