Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Página 235 de 957
A new teaching tool on the European space for higher education: Fusion of
laboratory and research results
Andres Sanz García
andres.sanz@unirioja.es
Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño
Spain
Alpha Veronica Pernía Espinosa
alpha.pernia@unirioja.es
Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño
Spain
Rubén Lostado Lorza
ruben.lostado@unirioja.es
Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño
Spain
María Ángeles Martínez Calvo
marian.martinez@unirioja.es
Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño
Spain
Abstract: A new approach of educational methodology is presented to improve
both laboratory practices in Materials Science and workshop tasks in
Mechanical Manufacturing subjects. This educational experience is raised to
merge two compulsory subjects in the new Mechanical Engineering Degree from
University of La Rioja. The three principal objectives are as follows: 1) increase
the number of students taking interest in practices, 2) eliminate the recurrence
of basics concepts between different subjects in the new degree, and 3)
encourage the student participation in the research work of professors involved
in the mentioned disciplines. The experience is based on the development of a set
of working practices in both the Materials Testing Laboratory and
Manufacturing Workshop. All practices are also related to the research lines
carried out by professors in these Areas of Knowledge. The groups consist of 8
students: 4 students are from the compulsory subject of Manufacturing, and the
rest are from Materials Science. This educational methodology is scheduled in
the next two years of the new Mechanical Engineering Degree, but we present
the first results testing in a pilot study.
Introduction
The model of higher education in Spain is out-dated and has left us traditional practices
that in several aspects are poorly matched to modern educational needs. The new
educational model in the Spanish university (ME, 2003) is based on the establishment of
the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), the homogenization of the teachings, and the
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011