Browsing by Author "Morais, Cristina"
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- Beyond Scores: Early Findings on TBL's Impact in Engineering EducationPublication . Sena-Esteves, M. Teresa; Ribeiro, Margarida; Morais, Cristina; Brás-Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, Anabela; Soares, Filomena; Leão, Celina P.; Sena-Esteves, Maria Teresa; Ribeiro, Margarida; Morais, Leonilde Cristina; Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, AnabelaThis paper presents the preliminary findings of an ongoing study investigating the influence of Team-Based Learning (TBL) on the academic performance of engineering students, particularly its impact on their grasp of subject matter and ability to solve real-world problems. Quantitative data analysis explored correlations between students' entry-level academic scores and their performance in a course incorporating TBL. The initial results suggest that there is no significant correlation, indicating that entry scores may not predict success in this TBL-integrated course. The analysis coverages multiple academic years, offering a comprehensive perspective on how trends and outcomes evolve over time. This study contributes to the discourse on effective educational practices in engineering education by examining the potential of TBL to enhance learning outcomes. Given the study's ongoing nature, these findings are provisional but pave the way for more detailed future analyses.
- Gender Differences in Students’ Assessment in a Fluid Mechanics CoursePublication . Sena-Esteves, Maria Teresa; Morais, Cristina; Ribeiro, Margarida; Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, Anabela; Soares, Filomena Baptista; Leao, Celina PintoThe main objective of the present work is to verify if, and in what extent, there is a correlation between gender and grades in a topic that is regarded as a core competence of chemical engineering. This analysis is based on data collected through a questionnaire concerning students’ perceptions. Besides no statistical difference on final student's marks, specific differences were obtained and discussed, namely concerning teaching methodologies.
- Interpreting students’ perceptions in fluid mechanics learning outcomesPublication . Soares, Filomena Baptista; Leão, Celina P.; Guedes, Anabela; Pereira, Isabel M. Brás; Morais, Cristina; Esteves, M. Teresa SenaThe objective of this study is to analyse the impact of introducing a practical work in the learning process of the Fluid Transport Systems course in Chemical Engineering degree. The students, in groups of two or three elements, were free to choose the application case in order to develop the practical work proposed by the responsible teachers. The students selected a centrifugal pump to supply water to houses or buildings and designed the piping system. The practical work was evaluated through the written report. The students’ perceptions were analysed through a questionnaire. The learning outcomes were also considered in order to understand how the fluid mechanics concepts were acquired. In the teachers’ point of view the teamwork should enable the development of students’ soft skills and competencies, promoting the ability to integrate and work in teams. The students changed their learning processing and perception becoming more reflective and less accommodative, forcing them to think critically and share opinions. Regarding the Fluid Mechanics assessment, the practical work increased, in average, the final grade at least one value.
- Revisiting Team-Based Learning in a Fluid Mechanics Module: Enhancing Students’ CompetencesPublication . Sena-Esteves, M. Teresa; Ribeiro, Margarida; Morais, Cristina; Brás-Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, Anabela; Soares, Filomena; Leão, Celina P.; Sena-Esteves, Maria Teresa; Ribeiro, Margarida; Morais, Leonilde Cristina; Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, AnabelaThis study investigates the evolution of students’ perceptions and experiences with Team-Based Learning (TBL) over three academic years (2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24) applied to the Fluid Mechanics course’ viscosity module of the second year of a chemical engineering degree, 1st semester. Through questionnaire data and qualitative evaluation, competences acquired and changes in teamwork and critical thinking were analyzed, based on a sample of 151 out of 167 enrolled students. Results reveal a shift in competence emphasis over time, with “Team work” initially prominent but more evenly distributed later. While students increasingly prefer individual study, TBL fosters collaboration and critical thinking. TBL assessment indicates consistency across years, with minor variation. The study underscores TBL’s positive impact on student preparation and professional development.
- Student’s perceptions regarding assessment changes in a fluid mechanics coursePublication . Sena-Esteves, Teresa; Morais, Cristina; Guedes, Anabela; Pereira, Isabel Brás; Ribeiro, Margarida Marques; Soares, Filomena; Leão, Celina PintoThe main objective of this study is to evaluate students’ perceptions regarding different methods of assessment and which teaching/learning methodologies may be the most effective in a Fluid Transport System course. The impact of the changes in the assessment methodology in the final students’ grades and attendance at theoretical classes is also analysed, and the results show that students’ attendance at theoretical classes changed significantly. The students prefer and consider more beneficial for their learning assessment through several questions/problems and small tests during theoretical lessons instead of a single moment of evaluation. For them, the traditional teaching/learning methodology is still considered the most effective one. At the same time, students perceive that the development of the Practical Work (PW) and several moments of assessment had positive repercussions on the way they focus on the course content and keep up with the subjects taught, providing knowledge on the area under study, encouraging collaborative work and stimulating the students’ intellectual curiosity. Largely, students agree that the PW is an important tool in their learning process and recommend it as a teaching activity. In general, students are confident with the knowledge acquired with the PW and feel able to size fluid transport systems.
- Team-based learning to enhance student’ competencies in a fluid mechanics modulePublication . Sena-Esteves, M. Teresa; Ribeiro, Margarida; Morais, Cristina; Brás-Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, Anabela; Soares, Filomena; Leão, Celina P.To graduate students with the necessary qualities, competencies and understanding needed in professional life, Higher Education Institutions should do more than only teach content in a traditional way. Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a small-group-based active learning-teaching strategy which supports the development of essential competencies while controlling course content. In this paper a TBL experience ap plied to the Fluid Mechanics course’ viscosity module of the second year of a chem ical engineering degree, during the 1st semester of 2021/22 academic year, is pre sented. The results were obtained based on a questionnaire answered by 57 of 65 enrolled students. The competencies acquired with TBL methodology identified by students were “Team Work”, “Autonomous work”, “Discussion” and “Communi cation”. On the other side, from the teacher’s point of view, this experience was very gratifying and is to be continued and extended to other course modules. Besides these preliminary results they already show positive tendency in TBL application to enhance engineering students’ competencies.
- The Relationship of Higher Education Access with Final Marks in a Core Chemical Engineering TopicPublication . Sena-Esteves, Maria Teresa; Morais, Cristina; Ribeiro, Margarida; Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, Anabela; Soares, Filomena; Leão, Celina P.This present work cracks to understand the relationship between final marks in a topic with competences that are core of Chemical Engineering and students’ access grades to a Portuguese Higher Education Institution (HEI). The study is based on data gathered through a questionnaire concerning students’ perceptions about assessment and teaching-learning methodologies in four academic years (2016-2017 to 2019-2020). The student´s access grades were included in the questionnaire since 2018-19 academic year allowing to establish a relationship with the final marks obtained in a core Chemical Engineering Topic, Fluid Mechanics. From the analysis made, it can be said that students who obtained higher access grades to HEI may have also a higher Chemical Engineering curricular unit final mark, although the low linear relationship obtained (r =0.45) for the year 2019-20.