Change to Competence-Based Education in Structural Engineering

Abstract

The launching of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in 2010 has imposed new challenges on European universities. Traditional teaching methods, based on lectures and examinations, are no longer suited for the new EHEA educational approach, now focused on competences development. Instead, active learning methods as Problem- based learning are far more appropriate. This paper examines the effect of a change to competence-based education through Problem-based learning (PBL) in the field of Structural Engineering, carried out in a first year structures course. The structures program design is described, with details of the PBL implementation. A program evaluation based on students’ and faculty surveys is carried out. The evaluation results show that the program has been effective in the achievement of the proposed objectives. The benefits of the new approach include an increase in students’ motivation and a better integration with other Architecture disciplines. The main challenges encountered are the increase in faculty time commitment and the academic resistance to change. Extrapolation to other disciplines is possible, although it requires restructuring of subject knowledge and methods.