Abstract:

IQLABS is the educational innovation project that the Innovation Group in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (IDIQMA) of the University of Valencia coordinates for the integration of a new teaching-learning model to apply to laboratory subjects integrated in the Chemical Engineering degree of the University of Valencia. This model focuses on facilitating the acquisition by students of both specific and general competencies, as well as transversal competencies focused on communication on science and technology [1]. The structure of the project is divided into 2 transversal coordination and dissemination tasks, and five execution tasks to develop the new methodological proposal. Firstly, the current teaching guides of each of the subjects that integrate experimental tasks, taking into account the objective of the subjects, the methodologies used, and the competencies currently being worked on, will be assessed. In addition, teachers responsible for the laboratory subjects will be interviewed. The information obtained will be summarized in a matrix that integrates each experimental task by subject and course, the specific and transversal competencies to work, and the expected level of acquisition. Based on this matrix, the critical points in the acquisition of both transversal competencies, oriented to develop skills, knowledge and values linked to employability, entrepreneurship and professional activity, as well as those specific to the degree will be identified. For this evaluation, the level of acquisition per subject and course and the level expected at the end of the Chemical Engineering degree will be taken into account. Based on the results of this evaluation, it is intended to support a new planning that promotes the efficient acquisition of competencies by students facilitating meaningful learning. For this, the models implemented in other universities will be assessed, modifying them and adapting them to the specific scenario established by the specific learning needs of students of the Chemical Engineering degree of the University of Valencia [2]. Specifically, the proposed planning for the development of the specific competencies related to laboratory subjects, and the transversal competencies that favor the skills in communication in science and technology so necessary in the degree of Chemical Engineering [1] will be evaluated. The revamping of the experimental subjects will include actions at different levels. On the one hand, it is intended to develop a planning that facilitates the gradual and sequential acquisition of cognitive skills and, at the same time, ensures their consolidation in students, so that the learning process is developed in a natural and progressive way focused on student significant learning. In this line, new schedules will be proposed for each of the subjects that integrate experimental tasks in the degree of Chemical Engineering, to obtain an adequate achievement of the necessary competencies to acquire. The IQLABS project will end with the design of a new teaching-learning model focused on efficiently structuring the competencies to be acquired and on designing the acquisition methodologies of the competencies considering the different levels, intra-subject (experimental tasks within the same subject), at the intra-course level (subjects within the same course) as inter-course (subjects throughout the degree).

Keywords:

Teaching-learning, educational innovation, active methodologies, Laboratory practices.