Abstract:

In the European Space for Higher Education, the concept of “education” can be defined as a process that facilitates learning. The process will culminate successfully if our students have really learned and not necessarily because we have taught them. Taking into account the educational environment in which we are immersed, the learning process must be turned into a process where the students become aware of their goals and the teacher is transformed into a guide that escorts the students towards the achievement of the objectives. The organization of teaching in this environment involves developing new conceptualizations and methodologies, which can be applied jointly to classical methodologies, acting in a complementary manner.

Currently, all academic institutions use virtual campus platforms for educational purposes. At the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain), this virtual system can be used as a repository of academic material but also has tools for the development of applications based on e-learning. In the present paper, an e-learning platform has been designed for students of electrical and electronic engineering that guide the learners to understand theoretical concepts, integrate theory and practice, and apply knowledge and skills to develop a viable solution to specific problems. The importance of defining and assessing learning outcomes, that is, the competences that students should have acquired and can use, have also been considered. To achieve this goal, a problem-based learning approach has been used so the students learn to identify and interpret data and design strategies to solve problems applying concepts of analysis of electrical circuits.

First, the most relevant competences that the students must achieve has been analysed (“Knowledge and use of the principles of theory of circuits and electric machines" and "Analysis and resolution of problems”). Based on them, a battery of tests and tasks has been designed, in order to reinforce the theoretic concepts and analyse and solve problems. The task system tool has been used to develop the e-learning platform, in which self-evaluation has been also integrated in order to become an effective instrument for learning. The focus has been put on the design of the strategy in relation to the competences that students should acquire, the experience gained during the development of the e-learning platform and the students satisfaction after the implementation.

Keywords:

e-learning, problem-based learning, problem resolution skills.