Abstract:

This pioneering initiative had been developed in the Economics Degree in the Faculty of Economics of the University of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain), within the framework of the preparation of the European Higher Education Area, during the academic course 2007-2008. Such experience constitutes a pilot exercise in order to facilitate the adaptation process to a new education system, characterized by a different learning and evaluation methodology, and even by significant changes in the roles played by professors and students.

This experience was focused on the change of methodology, because the new European Higher Education Area implies a continuous work, based on attending classes and above all active participation of the student in the learning process. The new system is based on an interactive learning process, where the role of the student is crucial. Most of the lessons are developed through interactive activities, such as carrying out individual and group tasks, debates, seminars, oral presentations, … The evaluation is based on an exam that only constitutes a small part of the mark, which is complemented with the results of the different activities developed in the classes.

Among the positive aspects of this experience, it should be stressed the better results achieved by the students of this group in comparison with the students of the traditional group, in particular regarding their knowledge level and their abilities development. The learning process consists of an autonomous and active system, in which the development of transverse competences (synthesis, analyses and criticism capacities, ability to argue and clearly express opinions and conclusions in writing or oral) prevails. The main weaknesses seem to be the coordination problems, in particular the students were very overload with work at different times of the year.

Keywords:

European Higher Education Space, pilot experience, continuous evaluation, interactive methodology.