Digital Systems at the Escola d’Enginyeria de Telecomunicació i Aeroespacial de Castelldefels

En aquestes assignatures, hem canviat el sistema d'aprenentatge per tal que assoliu els continguts desenvolupant simultàniament un seguit de competències genèriques del tipus: treball en equip, comunicació oral i escrita, anglès, ús dels instruments de laboratori, gestió de projectes i aprenentatge autònom.

We replaced some years ago the traditional and passive teaching method based on lectures by an active Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach using Cooperative Learning (CL).

Let's say it simple: planning and solving problems will allow you to learn deeper!

Example of a printed circuit board containing electronic chips.

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Text extret de la entrevista a Luis Gallego, director de producció de Clickair, realitzada en la revista Informacions UPC, N. 219, pag. 16, maig 2009

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"We have grown up in a climate of competition between people, teams, departments, divisions, pupils, schools, universities. We have been taught by economists that competition will solve our problems. Actually, competition, we see now, is destructive. It would be better if everyone would work together as a system, with the aim for everybody to win. What we need is cooperation and transformation to a new style of management. Competition leads to loss. People pulling in opposite directions on a rope only exhaust themselves: they go nowhere. What we need is cooperation. Every example of cooperation is one of benefit and gains to them that cooperate"(*)

(*) Source: http://www.ce.umn.edu/~smith/docs/Smith-Pedagogies_of_Engagement.pdf

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Please, forget the old paradigm ...

"The ubiquitous lecture is the bane of true learning", especially in observation-based, hands-on fields such as engineering. The lecture-dominated system encourages a passive learning environment, a highly compartmentalized (lecture-sized) curriculum, and worst of all, instils neither the motivation nor the skills for life-long learning. Beyond that, engineering education should move away from the current dominance of classroom based pedagogy to more active learning approaches that engage problem-solving skills and team building".

(bane: a thing that ruins or spoils)

Source:James J. Duderstadt, "Engineering for a Changing World", 2008, University of Michigan Engineering, page 33.
This is an outstanding and sensational report which makes you reflect about everything in teaching and learning ..., so, for sure, do not expect us to lecture you in our courses! (we haven't done it in 8 years!)

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And, if you still don't believe what's going on here, please, read this short interview to prof. Roger Schank, pedagogue: “Els professors universitaris són uns ganduls”, El Debat, February 3rd, 2010 (pdf).
Here you are another interview to Roger Schank

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Another interesting reference: "Education ambivalence", Editorial from Nature.com, Nature, Volume: 465, Pages: 525–526, Published online 02 June 2010,

"But there is strong evidence that talking at students isn't nearly as effective as engaging them with cooperative, hands-on learning activities"

"But by showering so many rewards on research instead of on teaching, universities and funding agencies risk undermining the educational quality that is required for research to flourish in the long term"

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Lazaro, José, "Clases a la Boloñesa", EL PAIS, September 2, 2010,

La implantación este curso del 'modelo Bolonia' abre la posibilidad de acabar con las "clases magistrales". Sin embargo, aún hay profesores y alumnos que defienden este método medieval, anterior a la imprenta

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- Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology, National Educational Technology Plan 2010, Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education, March 5, 2010,  DRAFT, 

To stimulate motivational engagement, technology can develop a positive image as a life-long learner. Technology can inspire imagination and intellectual curiosity that help people engage actively as learners and open new channels for success or visions of career possibilities. For example, when students use the tools of professionals to engage in real-world problems, they can begin to see themselves in productive professional roles (“I am a graphic artist,” “I am a scientist,” “I am a teacher”). Technology also provides opportunities for students to express themselves by engaging in online communities and sharing content they have created with the world.

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-  Científicos de frontera - Andrea Goldsmith  (rtve.es)

Entrevista a la investigadora Andrea Goldsmith, catedrática de la Universidad de Stanford (EEUU) y miembro del Instituto de Ingenieros Eléctricos y Electrónicos. En la entrevista hablará sobre su pasión por un campo vanguardista tradicionalmente masculino: la ingeniería electrónica.

Goldsmith es considerada una autoridad mundial en tecnologías móviles y sus múltiples aplicaciones. Sus estudios han servido para avanzar en campos como las comunicaciones inalámbricas (redes 'WIFI'), o la medicina, con dispositivos que se colocan en el cuerpo y alarman a los médicos cuando surgen problemas de salud.

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-Craig, K. C., Take engineering education in context. EDN Europe, 06/2011, (pdf)
Engineers practice engineering in context, so why do educators teach it out of context?

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