Browsing by Author "Heidmann, Olivier"
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- Addressing the Gender Gap in Computer Programming Through the Design and Development of Serious GamesPublication . Vaz de Carvalho, Carlos; Cerar, Spela; Rugelj, Joze; Tsalapatas, Hariklia; Heidmann, OlivierThe gap between male and female participation in computer science education and careers is a worldwide issue that must be addressed by introducing early methodological learning interventions that make computer science attractive to all, that is by answering the following issues: a) misperception among educators, learners, parents and youngsters on the suitability of computer science careers to girls and b) a wrong assumption of an insufficient preparedness to do it successfully. This article presents a European initiative - CODING4GIRLS - that proposes to teach coding through a game design and development process based on a design thinking methodological approach that is linked to creativity and human-centered solutions. In this methodology, students address increasingly complex real-life challenges by designing and developing awareness raising serious games for which they need to learn specific coding concepts.
- Teaching Soft Skills in Engineering Education: An European PerspectivePublication . Caeiro-Rodríguez, Manuel; Manso-Vázquez, Mario; Mikic-Fonte, Fernando A.; Llamas-Nistal, Martin; Fernandez-Iglesias, Manuel J.; Tsalapatas, Hariklia; Heidmann, Olivier; Vaz de Carvalho, Carlos; Jesmin, Triinu; Terasmaa, Jaanus; Sorensen, Lene TolstrupHigher Education engineering students need to be prepared to address sustainable solutions to the complex problems faced in this century. They should become proficient problem solvers, able to work in multidisciplinary teams, ready to adapt to new technologies, and able to acquire new knowledge and skills when needed. Usually known as soft skills, these competences play a key role in Engineering and have being taught in the last two decades, to a greater or lesser extent, using different methodologies and tools. This study reviews the promotion and teaching of soft skills in Higher Education across 5 European countries: Greece, Estonia, Denmark, Portugal and Spain. It provides an overview of best practices on these countries, focusing also on technological solutions to actually enable the development of soft skills. The purpose of this research is to shed some light about how soft skills are being taught presently and the difficulties involved in that process.