TEACHING PRACTICES OF COMPUTER-AIDED TECHNICAL DRAWING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

Abstract

This paper aims to describe the teaching practices of computer-assisted technical drawing used during the Covid-19 pandemic. Such practices intend to encourage the engagement of students with the implemented approach. The research was carried out by analysing the data from five technical drawing Engineering and Design courses in a Brazilian public university. Data were collected between August and October 2020 based on the observations by the authors of this paper and on an online questionnaire submitted to the students of the referred courses. The data were analysed at four different moments: selection of teaching technologies in virtual learning environments, planning, implementation, and course assessment. The study findings revealed higher student engagement when unconventional practices, such as gamification, were used in the classroom, as well as the use of reference animation pieces to serve as the basis for the drawing, and a small number of assignments to be performed with mandatory appraisal from the professors. Another finding indicated that the quality of remote instruction and guidance is conditioned by the evolution of the technological apparatus and its availability at the university with the support and exposition of contents and real-time feedback. © PDE 2021.