Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Página 949 de 957
hand, the number of hours lower, the worse competence acquisition and academic
performance, respectively. In this case, we must assure that both educational programs
and competences acquisition are fulfiled.
Student opinion about competences development
During the academic year 2008/09 we designed a survey to be completed by students
belonging to the degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. We have centred our
study on the analysis of generic competences. They survey was completed by more than
three hundred students belonging to the aforementioned degree. We show in this section
several comparative analyses with the collected data at the end of the second term. Marks
were put from 0 to 5.
Figures 3 and 4 show competences valuation from the following points of view:
a. what students think about their importance in their education.
b. what students think the way they have been developed in the current academic
year (in a greater or lesser degree).
c. what students think about their importance in the labour market.
According to figure 3, showing student valuation taking into account the point of view b),
it can be observed that valuations are above 3. The competences most valued by 1st year
students were Elementary computing skills (C8), Information management skills (ability
to retrieve and analyse information form different sources) (C9) and Interpersonal skills
(C16). The less valued were capacity for understanding and interpreting written
information in a second language (C5), written communication in your native language
(C6) and ability to work in an international context (C15)
Figure 3: Competences valuation from the point of view b), what students think the way they have been
developed in the current academic year. Y-axis: score (0 to 5)
Figure 4: Average of three years competences. Y-axis: score (0 to 5)
Similar to 1st year, 2nd year valuations are above 3. Competences most valued were
elementary computing skills (C8), problem solving (C11) and ability to work in an
interdisciplinary team (C14). Less valued were knowledge of a second language (C7),
ability to work in an international context (C15), ethical commitment (C18) and
understanding of cultures and customs of other countries (C24). As far as 3rd year is
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011