Effects of a Project Based Learning on the development of innovation competencies in online mode in first-year engineering students

Abstract

Developing innovation competencies is a current challenge in engineering education. Having the tools to initiate and carry out innovation projects is essential due to the dynamic, interconnected and complex nature of today's social challenges. The present research sought to evaluate the effects of the implementation of a teaching-learning strategy based on the Design Thinking methodology through i + e projects, in first-year engineering students. A pre and post-test design was used that used a standardized instrument to measure the change in the development of competence in innovation and questions aimed at evaluating self-efficacy and the probability of developing I + e projects. The results showed a favorable effect of the strategy on 4 of the 5 dimensions evaluated by the instrument, as well as on self-efficacy and the probability of developing the projects. The usefulness of the strategy for the purposes described and the limitation observed in the virtual context for the development of the experimental dimension due to its nature linked to the use of laboratories and direct experience is concluded.