Abstract:

Research based learning (RBL) is a methodology in which the active acquisition of skills and knowledge occurs through the student inquiry and research. Based on the scientific method, students learn actively asking questions, creating hypotheses, investigating, finding and discussing solutions and thinking about the results. These aspects adapt very well to the nature of our subjects so we believed that certain tasks could be developed throughout the course using this methodology. RBL can be developed with various levels of depth or complexity, from a more structured inquiry to a more open model (always guided by the teachers) and allowed us to apply it at various educational levels (Bachelor's and Master's) by proposing various tasks and activities to the students.

Students carried out different activities in various educational levels. Bachelor’s degree students analysed a research paper written in Spanish, and they had to point out the following topics: chapters and subchapters of the paper, main objective and secondary objectives of the research, and main key words. They had also to summarize the introduction, to identify the experimental factors included and to describe the trial layout, to resume the results of the paper and to summarize the main conclusions of the study. Master’s degree students did the same but with an English written paper and additionally they had to indicate which results of the study agreed or disagreed with previous works and they had to write down the justification of those differences. Students wrote down a report and it was evaluated by the teachers. Other students of master’s degree carried out an experiment in the laboratory about agricultural pollution and organic wastes. They measured different parameters along the experiment, and they wrote down a report with the results, the main goals, the theoretical background, the materials employed, the methods applied, the main conclusions of the study and the references cited. The reports were evaluated, and a survey was made about the opinion of the students about the RBL methodology.

Keywords:

Research based learning, engineering, technology, core competences.