Reflections about teaching Engineering Graphics: Knowledge and competencies management

Abstract

This article contains some reflections about the experience of the authors after a decade teaching assignments within Engineering Graphics area, like Graphical Expression, Computer-Aided Design, Industrial Drawing, Descriptive Geometry and Technical Drawing, and others related to several Master Programs as Master in Graphical Design. Reflections consider advantages and disadvantages of those traditional experiences regarding to graphical aspects, such as the magisterial Class, practical classes in small groups or working out different tasks and how all of this affects the final results, considering students opinion. On the other hand of this traditional system is another one based on the learning directed to those students who have ECTS credits, inside the European Educational Higher Space (EEHS) and the experiences in several Universities before entering 2010–2011 season. Knowledge and competencies management are considered within this new system and they be included in the Teacher Guide so that those students who approve the subject acquires specific competences (subject specific knowledge). These competencies coordinated with those specific obligates teachers to develop particular activities, because the detailed knowledge of each is a main condition in order to program competencies briefings with a high detail level. This is not an easy task considering the experiences and opinions of famous professionals specialized in competences issues. Therefore, new activities should be set up and include new Information and Communication Technologies, such as Internet, search of information, E-learning educational platforms, and a different orientation for individual and group follow up and for seminars and classes in the University environment as well. Sometimes, practical orientation of the lesson should focuses on real cases, on the solution of a real problem. This is more complicated in lessons during the first year when there is a lack of knowledge of other subjects considering that a lesson is not a knowledge “island” in a “sea” of subjects. Nevertheless, besides the difficulties those teachers who have not got that specific training have it becomes a closer challenge and a push to enter the EEHS with a renewed motivation and a different vision about new activities that should be develop.