Innovation in engineering education using Peer Instruction

• Grant number: 14/23035-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: December 15, 2014
• End date: March 14, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education - Educational Teaching and Learning
• Principal Investigator: Messias Borges Silva
• Grantee: Messias Borges Silva
• Host Investigator: Eric Mazur
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Harvard University, Cambridge, United States

Abstract

This research project is related with active learning methods and aims to deepen the knowledge on research topics about Active Learning in the engineers education, from the use of Peer Instruction. The involvement of students in various courses of the School of Engineering of Lorena at University of São Paulo (SEL/USP) will be promising for the new demands of engineers education with a profile oriented in Design, Development, Implementation and Operation of systems, processes and businesses (CDIO). During the research internship abroad a joint project will be developed between the research group of Prof. Dr. Messias Borges Silva from EEL/USP and the research group of Prof. Dr. Eric Mazur from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. This partnership aims to achieve results that contribute to the improvement of the engineering education in Brazil and consequently improves the professional performance. The research project presented is inserted the context above, to consolidate work carried out by Prof. Dr. Messias Borges Silva, which has been encouraging and preparing teachers of engineering courses, and other areas for the use of active learning methodologies. These new technologies have fostered the exchange of ideas and dissemination of research proposals and joint publications from cooperation in the areas involved. Among the main expected results of this project, we point out the interest to participate and contribute to the research on innovation in Engineering Education in Brazil. (AU)