Abstract:

The subjects of the topic of maritime engineering have a high practical component, in the Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree and the Master Program in Environmental Hydraulics in the University of Granada. Therefore, it is required a theoretical background to be learned and assimilated by the students. In this context, in the last years it has been observed that the students weren’t able to take the chance on practical lessons to consolidate what they had learned in the master lectures. As a consequence, a segregation between the theoretical concepts and the practical lessons was taking place.

Formerly, the goal of practical lessons was mainly to teach students how to work in a laboratory or field test campaign, using the lab experiments/field observations and performing different type of measurements/analysis. Thus, one of the main problem observed was that the use of sophisticated technology distracted the students of the concepts they must learned, focusing their attention on the technology they were using itself rather than in the object of observation. For this reason, the goal of practical lessons has been modified in order to not only provide experiences with lab or field works, but also to promote the consolidation of theoretical concepts. An approach of “returning to origin” has been developed, changing the sophisticated laboratory and field technology by otherwise basic instruments and tools.

As a case study following that new goal, basic measuring instruments (measuring tape and chronograph) for the assessment of wave propagation phenomena and transformations in the laboratory lessons have been used, instead of formerly wave gauges and acquisition cards. In the field lessons, topographical measurements with the total station has been changed by an optical level. This methodology encourages students to use their cunning to achieve their objectives, helping them to develop a “in situ space vision” so to speak, rather than providing them with a set of recorded points with an apparent lack of terrain modelling meaning during the post-analysis tasks. That way, it is promoted the understanding of the processes they are observing.

The results observed during the early years have been highly satisfactory. Students have shown a strong interest in understanding the physical processes observed in laboratory and field. They show a high motivation during the practical lessons and they acquire the required skills in an effective manner.

Keywords:

Practical lessons, laboratory, field, basic instruments, theoretical concepts consolidation.