Abstract:

The implementation of the "European convergence" process shows up a series of changes that affect different areas in university teaching. One of these multiple changes contributed by the European Higher Education Area is the new orientation given to the training process —from teacher-oriented to student-centred learning. Thus, students become the main axis in the teaching-learning process. In this new context, a new approach is currently being put into practice in the core subject "Training Design, Development and Evaluation" at the Faculty of Pedagogy at the University of Barcelona.

This innovation process, launched in 2011/12, is aimed at systematizing, applying and assessing a set of participative methodologies in the acquisition of particular interdisciplinary and cross-curricular competences, as well as their development and improvement by means of web 2.0 (particularly Facebook), which works as a suitable environment for learning exchange.

These are the participative methodologies selected for their application within the framework of this subject: “four corners”, guided workshop, group puzzle, concept network, structure building, and case study, all of them commonly used in teaching contexts. These classroom methodologies are currently dealt with by lecturers and assessed collaboratively via Facebook.

This innovation process is aimed at:
- The systematic application of participative methodologies, which are both the method and content within the framework of the subject "Training Design, Development and Evaluation"
- The determination and validation of the training-related basic and specific competences acquired through the application of active methodologies in this subject, as well as how web 2.0 can collaborate to develop them
- The use of Facebook as a tool for the exchange, reflection, extension, and research on the different participative methodologies applied in the classroom.

From a methodological viewpoint, this innovation project includes different instruments for information collection:
- A survey containing open and closed questions, which is given out to all participating students and is aimed at validating the suitability of the implemented methodologies, as well as showing up the basic and specific competences acquired by students
- Analysis of Facebook-generated content
- Four discussion groups and subsequent analysis of the obtained information: these are specifically aimed at assessing the usefulness of the applied methodologies and Facebook's potential for the acquisition and development of associated competences.

The relevance of this innovation project lies on the following:
- The value of implementing active methodologies in university classrooms, more precisely in the field of Pedagogy, thus working both as teaching methods and contents
- The need of incorporating web 2.0 into the students' everyday learning processes
- The observation of the role that web 2.0 (particularly Facebook) can play as tools for the learning of attitudinal competences, which are essential in the field of training (main axis of the subject)
- The determination of the processes that can be transferred to other learning contexts in other subjects and fields both in this Faculty of Pedagogy and other knowledge fields.

Keywords:

Active methodology, Higher Education, Facebook.