Browsing by Author "Mesquita, Diana"
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- Active learning in engineering education: case study in mechanics for engineeringPublication . Jaroenkhasemmeesuk, Chawannat; Lima, Rui M.; Horgan, Kathleen; Mesquita, Diana; Supeekit, TuangyotA task force on outcome-based approaches (OBE) to develop higher education was focused on by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) and Mahidol University (MU). MU had already started emphasizing student outcomes in its quality reviews and considered OBE a logical next step in advancing higher education. Active learning, in the concept of 'teach less, learn more', is a teaching method that involves engaging students in the learning process through activities such as discussion, boardgame, project-based solving, and collaborative activities. It was claimed that academic attainment could be enhanced by active learning. In the field of engineering education, active learning has been shown to be an effective way to enhance student learning and improve outcomes. This paper gives a comprehensive study case of the subject 'Mechanics for Engineer' including how the instructor created the active learning activities for each module, the indicators used to assess students' learning outcomes, an analysis of the results of using active learning, and the reflections of stakeholders. The presented activities in this paper consist of 3D equilibrium & Application: Think-Pair-Share, Vector addition - Board game, and Structural analysis - Project-based learning. Additionally, the case study explored reflection to analyze the challenges and issues that arose during the implementation of active learning and discuss strategies for addressing them.
- Analysis of teachers’ competences for industry 4.0 subjects: a case of thai higher education institutionsPublication . Lima, Rui M.; Sousa, Rui M.; Costa, Lino; Jesus, Cristiano; Mesquita, Diana; Kengpol, Athakorn; Meethom, Warapoj; Koomsap, PisutThe era of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) requires technology and engineering higher education institutions to provide their students with the competences inherent to this evolution. This requires teaching staff training, but first, naturally, teachers’ level of competences must be assessed. The objective of this work is to assess the current level of teaching staff self-perceived competences related to product, process, and production in the I4.0 Era, using a tailor-made questionnaire. Additionally, the work aims to evaluate the relation between academic degrees and years of experience, with the level of self-perceived competences. In terms of methodology, the development of the questionnaire’s items was based on the Acatech framework and existing I4.0 courses. The questionnaire was validated through the following steps: 1) think-aloud procedures with 4 teaching staff, and 2) test and retest statistics validation, developed with approximately 30 teaching staff from the referred institutions. Then, the questionnaire was applied to more than 200 teaching staff. Two I4.0 areas showed a lower level of self-perceived competence: Data Analytics and Digital Manufacturing. It became evident that the teaching staff, regardless of their level of experience or academic degree, may benefit from organizational and people management training including processes and techniques related to I4.0.
- Developing a Chatbot for process modelling learning: contributions for active learning in engineering educationPublication . Lopes, Erik T.; Mesquita, Diana; Lima, Rui M.Technological advancements such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have gained popularity, partly due to their ability to provide iterative access to extensive information. This has impacted the education field, introducing new opportunities and challenges in learning, teaching, and assessment. This article intends to present the development and deployment of a chatbot designed to foster students’ learning regarding process modelling and Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN). Developed with a low-code tool from the Microsoft suite, this approach for building chatbots may be replicable in other contexts of higher education. This is an exploratory study with 18 students enrolled in a Master’s Program in Engineering and Operations Management. Moreover, 6 professionals with experience in using BPMN used the ChatBot and gave an additional and complementary perspective from an expert point of view. The main objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of the ChatBot to mimic real-world interactions and make a contribution to the learning process. Through this exploration, the article aims to discuss potential uses of the chatbot, exploring the development steps, users’ feedback, limitations, and opportunities for enhancement. This work underscores how emerging technologies facilitate the swift creation of specialized bots for diverse applications, sidestepping the need for intricate programming expertise. More than just enhancing student engagement by encouraging inquiry and the use of AI tools, the use of chatbots has the potential to significantly lighten the teaching load, a cited barrier in the adoption of active learning.
- Development and validation of scenarios for the assessment of project management people competencesPublication . Souza, Mariane C.; Lima, Rui M.; Mesquita, Diana; Margalho, Elida M.The development of project management competences, particularly people competences, is a challenging and complex process. Scenario-based learning is an interesting approach to developing these competences, involving real problems that allow you to face challenges based on your own experience. In this sense, scenarios act as the starting point for diving into a real-world problem and fostering the whole process of decision making and searching for solutions. The International Project Management Association (IPMA) has defined an Individual Competence Baseline (ICB 4.0) standard for the development of the project management area of knowledge. The standard shows, besides other competences, the following 10 people competences: personal communication; leadership; teamwork; self-reflection and self-management; personal integrity and reliability; relationships and engagement; resourcefulness; conflict and crisis; negotiation; and result orientation. Development and assessment of these competences are increasingly important for the people working on projects. In addition, there is an accreditation process for these professionals that is increasingly required by organizations. The process involves an assessment of technical qualifications to improve task performance. In this sense, this paper aims to describe the development and validation of ten project management scenarios that allow the assessment of people competences. The methodology of the study comprised six phases. In addition, two pilot applications were conducted with the proposal to assess competence of the scenarios developed. The findings reveal that the scenarios can be used as an alternative approach to the accreditation process of professionals who work in project management.
- Development process of a rubric for assessment of leadership competences in project management scenariosPublication . Souza, Mariane C.; Margalho, Élida M.; Lima, Rui M.; Mesquita, DianaIn the field of Project Management, leadership competences have a significant impact on project execution, and are identified as a key factor in the success of an organization. In this regard, defining strategies and tools for development and assessment of leadership competences is a significant contribution to project management research and practice. Scenario-based learning is an interesting approach for development of a wide range of competences because it involves real problems and allows practitioners to face challenges based on their own professional experience. For the assessment process it is possible to identify indicators related to the competences to each scenario. The success of this process is influenced by the instrument that is being used and rubrics are one of the instruments that may be used for competence assessment. A rubric includes criteria and standards considering a specific scale on which different levels of assessment are established. This paper aims to describe the process of creating and validating a rubric, designed to assess leadership competences in project management scenarios, considering the Individual Competency Baseline (ICB). To illustrate this design and validation process, only one criteria of the rubric will be presented. The design of the rubric includes five phases, and includes internal validation based on an expert agreement, considering content, construct and criteria validation of the rubric. The expected outcomes of this work are the presentation of the results of the internal validation process that was conducted by two experts. As future work, the final version of the rubric will be developed as a contribution to assess leadership competences in project management scenarios.
- Mapping the implementation of active learning approaches in a school of engineering - the positive effect of teacher trainingPublication . Lima, Rui M.; Villas-Boas, Valquíria; Soares, Filomena; Carneiro, Olga S.; Ribeiro, Paulo; Mesquita, DianaThis study aims to propose a method for mapping the implementation of active learning approaches by quantifying engineering teachers’ self-perception. It also seeks to examine the correlations between the implementation of active learning approaches and training, as well as publications focused on active learning. To conduct the study, active learning concepts were defined, and a set of approaches were selected for consideration in the survey. A questionnaire was developed to collect data, which was completed by teachers of 246 courses from 14 engineering programs within a school of engineering. The findings revealed that only 11% of the courses studied did not implement any active learning approach. Project-Based Learning emerged as the most implemented approach, which aligns with the context of the engineering school. Additionally, positive correlations were found between training and the implementation of active learning approaches. This work makes contributions both to the theory, as it presents a way for measuring the perceived implementation of active learning approaches and the correlation with training and publications, and for institutional policy, as it shows the importance of training for that same implementation.
- People competence assessment based on project management scenariosPublication . Souza, Mariane C.; Lima, Rui M.; Mesquita, DianaScenario-based assessment makes it possible to represent situations related to professional project management practices and, in this sense, allows the assessment of competences in contexts inspired by professional environments. From the point of view of project management competences, the Individual Competences Baseline (ICB) describes the competences required for individuals who work in the field. This framework shows, besides other competences, the 10 (ten) competences focused on people, namely: introspection and personal management; personal integrity and reliability; personal communication; leadership; teamwork; relationships and engagement; resourcefulness; conflict and crisis; negotiation and results orientation. This study aims to analyze the process of assessment of competences based on Project Management scenarios, in the context of the Engineering field. This study was based on an experimental process and involved Professors and Professionals in the Project Management area. As a result, an assessment of competences was obtained through dynamic, interactive scenarios, which promotes reflection and is aligned with professional project management practices. Another result points to the potentiality of applying scenarios, as a complementary strategy to traditional assessments. For future work, it is suggested to develop scenarios that can assess the other competences required by individuals who work in project management.
- Project-based learning in industrial engineering and management: analysis of three curricular projectsPublication . Sousa, Rui M.; Alves, Anabela C.; Lima, Rui M.; Fernandes, Sandra; Mesquita, Diana; Dinis-Carvalho, JoséIn the 2nd semester of 2004/05 the Department of Production and Systems (DPS) of the Engineering School, University of Minho (UM), Portugal, deployed the first Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, involving the freshman students of the Industrial Engineering and Management Integrated master's degree (MIEGI). Since then, in every year, without exception, new PBL editions have been held in different years of the programme, each with its own characteristics. The experience gained over time has allowed the change/refinement of conceptual and operational aspects of the projects, always bearing in mind a perspective of continuous improvement. In 2021/22 MIEGI underwent a major restructuring and gave rise to two programs: a 3-year bachelor's degree (LEGI) and a 2-year master's degree (MEGI). The curricular structures of these two programs include four integrated projects: three from LEGI (PIEGI1, 1st year; PIEGI2, 2nd year; and PIEGI3, 3rd year) and one from MEGI (PIEGI, 1st year). This paper aims to describe and compare three of these projects, more specifically PIEGI1, PIEGI3 and PIEGI, from a conceptual and operational point of view. One of the most important aspects in this description and comparison is the main objective of each project, which is defined considering the transversal and technical competences that make sense to develop in the respective curricular year. From the point of view of the development of technical competences, these derive mostly from the project supporting courses involved. Furthermore, several other aspects are considered, namely: problem characteristics, number and size of student teams, number and type of tutors, involvement of companies, milestones, deliverables, assessment model, coordination team composition, premises, etc. The findings show that these projects result from an integrated and complementary approach whose overall goal is to develop in students, throughout each year of the programme, key competences for their professional life.
- Rubric’s development process for assessment of project management competencesPublication . Souza, Mariane; Margalho, Élida; Lima, Rui M.; Mesquita, Diana; Costa, Manuel JoãoAssessment rubrics are recognized for their positive effects, being defined as an evaluative instrument that establishes assessment criteria and performance levels. In this sense, assessment rubrics can be associated with professional practices for more authentic assessment processes. In the context of Project Management, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) has developed a framework that establishes the individual competences for professionals working in the area, the Individual Competence Baseline (ICB). The objective of this study is to propose a process of rubric development for competence assessment in Project Management. A rubric for Leadership competence was developed to show the applicability and relevance of the proposed process. The research methodology adopted in the study was Design Science Research. The application and evaluation of this rubric in a pilot study show that the rubric development process allowed the creation of a specific rubric for the assessment of leadership competence. This paper guides those who need to develop and assess project management competences, and it is intended to propose a replicable process for the other ICB competences.
- Setbacks of the development of a concept inventory for Scrum: contributions from item response theoryPublication . Nagai, Walter Aoiama; Lima, Rui M.; Mesquita, DianaScrum is the more common framework for agile project management. Agile project management requires frequent feedbacks and delivered items in projects with dynamic requirements and changes. Training learners in Scrum permits building agility in solving problems and teamwork competencies. Measuring training effectiveness is essential to identify students' learning lacks or misconceptions to improve the training outcomes. To assess the development of competences, it is possible to use concept Inventories, which are an essential educational tool to observe students' learning gain between two moments, before and after training. Additionally, the Item Response Theory may be applied to concept inventory items to identify latent characteristics as guessing, difficulty, and discriminant values. Guessing is related to an arbitrary answer to one question and gets the correct answer with common learner knowledge. Difficulty characteristic is related to student knowledge level to one question. Discriminant characteristic considers that learners with high score get accurate answers to the questions. Thus, this work aims to present some of the main setbacks of developing a concept inventory for Scrum, supported by the Item Response Theory. In this way, other researchers may understand how to develop a concept inventory and some of the main obstacles they may have to overcome or avoid. The Item Response Theory offers some indexes and criteria values to each latent characteristic to improve the concept inventory questions. Therefore, this work focuses on the process of conceptualizing, building, applying, and improving a Scrum Concept Inventory in a training situation with engineering students.