Abstract:

In the 21st century, cooperative and dynamic learning methodologies are starting to be implemented in higher education. To this end, the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has developed the methodology called “Ikaskuntza Kooperatibo and Dinamikoa-IKD”. The Department of Energy Engineering created ikasTHERM group to apply in Engineering studies IKD methodology, using both Guided Problem Solving (GPS) and flipped learning methodology.

In this work, the GPS methodology implementation is analysed. By this methodology, the traditional teaching methodology, where the teachers solves problems in the blackboard and students copy them without thinking or discussing theoretical and problem solving strategies, is changed. The GPS methodology tries to make students think and discuss, in small groups, the theoretical concepts as well as problem solving strategies. The main goal is motivating them to have an active attitude during the lessons, and not a passive one likes happens in the traditional teaching methodology.

This work explains the GPS methodology implementation in the third course subject called Thermotechnics. The content of the subject can be divided in three main contents block: conduction, convection and radiation. Therefore, in this subject, a GPS problem is solved at the end of each contents block. Apart of motivating students to have an active attitude during the lessons, students’ knowledge at the end of each contents block can be analysed before the written final test is done.

The academic results, related to convection, are analysed in this work from 2020/2021 until 2022/2023 academic year. During 2022/2023 academic year only ordinary call is analysed. The experimental groups of the GPS methodology corresponds to the Degree of Mechanical Engineering. In this Degree, there are three groups in Spanish, two groups in Basque and one group in English, with an average of 230 students per year. The GPS methodology was applied in three of those groups while in the others the traditional teaching methodology was followed.

Keywords:

Mechanical Engineering, GPS, active learning, engineering.