Abstract:

Experimental learning becomes very important when teaching experimental sciences, because this methodology allows students to apply theoretical concepts and to see their practical application, which is a part of knowledge construction. Furthermore it promotes independent work and some other competences and/or capacities [1].
In last years universitary teaching experiments a deep transformation due to the adaptation to the guidelines imposed by European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that involved important changes both from methodology and evaluation points of view. These changes include (among others) the implementation of Technologies of Information and Comunication (ICT) in all fields of the teaching/learning process [2].
In this work we redesign traditional experimental practice for the subject Physics 2, of the first course of Chemistry Degree in Universidade da Coruña including methodologies that employ new technologies mentioned to optimize the teaching of this subject.

We use ICT during the whole experimental teaching process:
- We design a previous work about data processing which is evaluated before the beginning of the practices using the e-learning platform Moodle by means of interactive exercises (multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises) created with Hot Potatoes.
- We make available (also in Moodle) to students the documents that contain explanations of theoretical basis for the understanding of the experimental work.
- We use some simulations available in a web about physics.
- We also evaluate knowledge acquired during this teaching methodology in the same way as the previous work.
We also will analyze the improvements achieved with those changes respecting the previous traditional method and the perception of students about their learning experience.

References:
[1] Aramburu-Zabala Higuera L. Enseñar competencias: el perfil de los licenciados en ciencias del trabajo. Revista de la Red Estatal de Docencia Universitaria. Vol. 3, Nº 1. 2008.
[2] Salinas, J. Innovación docente y uso de las TIC en la enseñanza universitaria. Revista Universidad y Sociedad del Conocimiento. Vol. 1. Nº1. 2004.

Keywords:

Practical teaching, new technologies.