Active Learning Teaching in Geotechnical Courses in Uruguay

Abstract

Since 1960, different teaching approaches have been developed based on how the people learn. All of these show that learning is an active, contextualized and personal process where students construct their own knowledge from experience and activities and reflecting about them. This background encouraged us to introduce changes in how we were performing teaching activities. The Soil Mechanics course for the geology degree was modified. First, the goals were reformulated to include, in addition to soil mechanics practice and theory, skills as group work, writing and oral presentation. Second, field and laboratory experiences were reformated to be done as a group. Third, lectures were developed to include problem solving, student oral presentations from laboratory results and congress or journal paper. Finally, each group composed and defended a report about field and laboratory data and activities, including background and methods used during the investigation. Each student also completed an oral theoretical evaluation. The experience was a challenge for professors and students. In this course, the student groups worked similar to their future work as geotechnical geologists. They had a project that they needed to understand what to do, how to obtain laboratory and field data, analyze, write and defend a report. Our evaluation was positive because the students gained some useful tools for their professional future.