1. Basic issues for educational research in learning context engineering
Organizational aspects
Date and time: Thursday, October 6 2016, 14:00 – 16:00 hours
Language: Spanish
Workshop site: Convention Center Cartagena de Indias
Speakers
Dra. Adriana Castillo Rosas and Dra. Magda Concepción Morales Barrera
Researchers at the Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación y Docencia en Educación Técnica (CIIDET), Querétaro, México
Workshop description
The workshop will be are space where they will address and analyze different aspects of vital importance to be taken into account to plan and develop a project in educational research in the different stages of training engineers. At the end of the workshop, participants will outline a project proposal that will be fed by the researchers who lead the workshop.
- What is and what is not educational research?
- Core issues in educational research from the engineering
- Five fundamental methodological recommendations
Objective
To analyze the intentionality of educational research in engineering training contexts, to determine possible lines of works and research projects that address five central methodological recommendations.
Methodology
The workshop will be held in two classes, one classroom and a virtual one. In the presence session will be presented in a pre-instruccional, certain information that allows the participant to identify and reframe some preconceptions that could interference with the planning and development of an educational research project. At the end of this session may a possible research project the assistant, who will give a feedback and offer recommendations through the workshop web site.
In the virtual environment, will find additional information that allows them to deep the topics discussed in person. This environment will be under GOOGLE SITES technology and will be available for all participants during the meeting and 15 days after.
2. Leisure tools of GEIO Group for teaching system dynamics in modeling environments related components of sustainable development
Organizational aspects
Date and time: Thursday, October 6 2016, 14:00 – 16:00 hours
Language: Spanish
Workshop site: Convention Center Cartagena de Indias
Speakers
Wilson Arenas Valencia, Natalia Bohórquez Bedoya, Carlos Mauricio Zuluaga Ramírez, Manuela del Pilar Gómez Suta
Researchers at the GEIO Group, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira
Workshop justification
Technological and cultural developments since the modern industrial era gave way to unprecedented improvements in the quality of life of much of humanity that generated new relationships between man and his environment; in this order the overuse of natural resources was necessary to answer to the growing demand for goods and services (UNESCO, 2011). However decades of unrestricted growth and unsustainable natural resources consumption have generated consequences for the health of ecosystems around the world (UNESCO, 2014).
This has made that the society raises fundamental changes in the functioning of their social and economic system, which has made a deeper look at what these new challenges and how they should be answered (Accenture Strategy, 2016). However, it is found that exists little qualified and competent personal addresses this redefinition process, especially because in this dynamic converges different elements that explain the behavior and relationships of the system to be reformed (International Labor Organization, 2012 ); this shows the flaws in the processes of current formation where pedagogical tools allow the study of individual object, forgetting that this is part of a larger system and it has reciprocal relationships with other elements (Ospina, 2008).
To respond to this situation, since the seventies has raised the teaching of the General Systems Theory (GST) as a body of knowledge that provide answer to questions related to the structure, behavior and function of the system of interest; one of the techniques provided by the GST is system dynamics, it refers to the analysis and modeling of complex environments through different mathematical and computational tools which can guide decision-making and creating strategies that respond to the current needs.
In the case of Colombia’s engineering, it has been relevant to know and understand this kind of scientific instruments however future graduates do not really use them, because for the pupils is difficult assimilating these complex concepts. Also is important that engineering students understand the cycle of life, efficient use of materials and energy sources used in processes where professionally they will intervene in order to avoid negative impacts on society and balance ecological.
GEIO has identified the above scenario and has generated hands on activities tools that facilitate effective educational processes related to GST for analyzing environmental components, in this way, thus academic tools help engineering students to acquire skills and capabilities necessary for the proper understanding of the relationships between human actions and the environment.
In 2015, GEIO presented at the International Congress on Engineering Education ACOFI 2015 a workshop and a presentation, with whom it shared the academic community how the use of educational and recreational tools designed by the research group are valuable tools for teaching systems thinking focused on sustainable development. Currently the research team, want to present through a workshop teaching tools developed by GEIO for teaching System Dynamics in related component of sustainable development environments.
Objective
General
Present, by a recreational workshop, the use of educational tools designed by the GEIO to support the teaching-learning process related to system modeling through system dynamics taking into account elements of sustainable development.
Specifics
- Present GEIO’s hands on activities as pedagogical tools designed for strengthen the training of competent engineers.
- Experience some system dynamic topics that facilitate the modeling environment.
- Encourage a discussion on the relevance of the educational tools presented.
Methodology
During the workshop, the participants will take part in a practical workshop to be able to experience and discuss the use of the methodology for teaching GEIO group of dynamic systems focused on creating sustainable industrial processes. Then the proposed schedule is:
| Systemic Theme | Metodology | Duration |
| Presentation | Presentation | 15 minutes |
| Introduction to system thinking | Fairy tale “Zoom” | 20 minutes |
| Systemic archetypes | Hands on activity “El juego del Bosque” | 20 minutes |
| Application of Dynamical Systems in creating sustainable industrial processes | Hands on activity “Fábrica de Vasos con remanufactura” | 45 minutes |
| Conclusions | Dialogue | 20 minutes |
Note: The research group will be responsible for providing all teaching materials required to perform the activities.
