NEW TOOLS FOR SELF-MOTIVATION OF UNDERGRADUATE MARINE ENGINEERS STUDENTS WITH THE LINK OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH PROJECTS

Despite the improvement in reducing the dropout rates of European students in the University or HEI’s, improving the reduction of dropout in some subjects does not have much success. We are immersed in a context in which our students of the Degree in Marine engineering have lower motivation towards numerous subjects. Specially when students confronted the subjects for the first time, they thought they "can not".

Our aim is to change the message from "is not possible" to "is possible". For this, we need the involvement of students in their own education and take responsibility for their own learning process. This goal was attempted by a virtual linking between the students and the target through the combination of education with final work projects and the combination of education with project based learning projects applied in the division of marine engineering.

At Antwerp Maritime Academy (AMA) this can be illustrated by the benefit of scientific research on projects like ‘Sailing with open deck Happy-R-type ships’, ‘effects of biodiesel on diesel engines’, ‘Frysian Solar Challenge 2012’. The Frysian Solar Challenge 2012 project consist of the development of a solar vessel of 8m. This consist of the shape of the vessel for optimal stability, development of the electronic system for optimal use of the battery, engine, etc.
During their study the students deal with different teamwork-related issues as, leadership, team capabilities, common purpose, team norms, communication, conflicts, team operating procedures, member integration. These activities are distributed across the curricula, considering a long-term deployment.

The training in non-technical capabilities helps our students to set the pattern to become successful life-long learners. Student's main objections to the project-based cooperative learning approach were the excessive time devoted to the project and they demand more effort in supervising. We realize that, as students are not used to this kind of teaching, at the beginning of the project more continuous help and guidance is needed than in traditional teaching methodologies.
Results of this education – research and motivation projects will be discussed further.