CHALLENGE-BASED LEARNING: A STRATEGY FOR THE INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE IN FINAL PROJECT SUBJECTS IN ENGINEERING CAREERS

Abstract

The transition from the industrial to the post-industrial era examines models and established practices in their ability to meet the challenges that the knowledge society effectively poses.

In the educational model, skill-based training becomes relevant as an educational approach that could be aligned with current demands. In Argentina, the CONEAU incorporates elements founded on skill-based training for the accreditation of engineering university careers.

From the exchange with teachers and advanced students regarding the skills developed during the course and their application in situations similar to those of professional practice, the following are identified as specific difficulties: hardships in delimiting a problem in a real scenario and the lack of preparation in prioritizing and integrating knowledge to establish a criterion to solve it.

This paper evaluates the implementation of a pilot project of Challenge-Based Learning (Aprendizaje Basado en Retos, ABR), using Design Thinking (Pensamiento de Diseño, PD) as a didactic methodology to approach the final project of Mechatronics Engineering, to improve the articulation of knowledge and its implementation in the resolution of complex problems.

From the deliverables generated by the students, it can be inferred that higher-order thinking skills had to be put into practice. In addition, students often had to interact with different teachers and with external users to make academic deadlines compatible with the prototype development’s deadlines.

Consequently, the finding is that the PD is appropriate for guiding the ABR process. By addressing real-life challenges, the latter is more difficult to implement but offers decisively positive aspects, such as focusing on learning, promoting autonomous education in the student, facilitating cooperative work between teachers and students, and generating and stimulating multi and transdisciplinary spaces.