Abstract:

Higher education is under a period of fundamental changes. Traditional teaching models that focus on the acquisition of knowledge have shifted to programmes that focus on the achievement of competences. In these, greater relevance is given to the development of specific skills according to individual concerns, setting the student as the true agent of the learning process.

In the architecture curriculum, technical capacities, linked to knowledge, and soft skills, related to management and communication processes, are highly demanded. Transversal competences are required for the definition, planning and optimization of processes, along with soft skills related to client management, teamworking, leadership or the coordination of multidisciplinary teams. Therefore, mere technical knowledge is insufficient to achieve efficiency in the business environment.

The above mentioned facts evidence the need for change of educational models while guaranteeing transition from technical knowledge to professional competence, responding to the demand of the business sector. Moreover, the incorporation of these new educational models in the curricula should be accomplished for both undergraduate and Master's Degree in architecture studies. In this context, there are several strategies that could be defined as focused on active learning, inserted in the so-called life-long learning or concentrated on seeking a change in the traditional model. These strategies are linked to teaching methods like Project Based Learning (PBL), Design Thinking (DT), Challenge Based Learning (CBL) and Research Based Learning (RBL). However, the implementation of these strategies and methods in Architecture studies is limited. Therefore, there are few experiences that have been able to accurately assess the suitability of their application in the development of transversal competencies.

The present research is carried within the Educational Innovation Project: Application of Challenge-Based Learning and Design Thinking in the development of socioemotional competences and improvement of employability in the field of Architecture, call 2022-2023 of "Projects of Educational Innovation and improvement of the quality of teaching" of the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Its main purpose is to evaluate the Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), as a tool to enhance the transversal competences linked to the socioemotional field. Thus, it aims to foresee the relationship between CBL and the acquisition of soft skills, the development of personal attributes and competencies associated with decision making, change management and self efficacy.

Keywords:

Education models, teaching methods, soft skills, transversal competences, CBL.