Teacher Competences for Active Learning in Engineering Education

Renato Martins Neves,Diana Mesquita,Rui M Lima

doi:10.3390/su13169231

Abstract

The implementation of active learning strategies in engineering education still encounters barriers when facing conventional teaching-learning practices. This work aims to contribute to the discussion on teachers’ pedagogical competences required for active learning. This contribution is developed from the perceptions of 205 engineering teachers of Brazilian higher education institutions, centered on significant teaching competences necessary for teachers of engineering courses and how to develop them in the active learning context. The results show that essential competences identified by the participants are (I) teamwork (teachers’ cooperation); (II) teacher–student relationships (empathy); (III) feedback about students’ performance throughout the learning process; (IV) information and communication technology (ICT) competences; (V) selecting and adapting the teaching-learning methodologies to the class context; and (VI) creativity. A complementary logistic regression model suggested that female Ph.D. full-time teachers are more likely to employ active learning. Differences in active learning adoption among Brazilian regions were also captured by the model. The identified competences are essential for the sustainability of the innovation of teaching practices in the context of active learning, which may be used to inform more effective professional training of engineering teachers in the current globalized scenario.

Highlights

The 21st-century globalization and the corresponding disruptive global changes have reinforced the need for new educational models in which students are more participative and encouraged to find solutions to real problems [1], contributing to a transformation of the engineering curriculum.The educational community has been investigating alternative teaching-learning processes concerning active methods, aiming to develop technical and transversal competences in future engineers
We present below the results by the following sequence: teaching practice, active learning, and teachers’ competences
These results show that teachers look for pedagogical training, for updating the competences needed to deal with new educational paradigms

Summary

Introduction

The 21st-century globalization and the corresponding disruptive global changes have reinforced the need for new educational models in which students are more participative and encouraged to find solutions to real problems [1], contributing to a transformation of the engineering curriculum.The educational community has been investigating alternative teaching-learning processes concerning active methods, aiming to develop technical and transversal competences in future engineers. Peer Instruction, flipped classroom, team-based learning (TBL), and other active learning strategies enable positive educational outcomes, such as increased student engagement and performance [5]. These innovative teaching-learning approaches are challenging for teachers and students, requiring close collaboration between all players, effective communication, and the development of a sense of autonomy, trust, and resilience [6]. This idea implies leading teachers to rethink the background of their teaching strategies.

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion