Simultaneous Usage of Methods for the Development of Experimental Competences

Introduction

Engineering education has solid needs of experimental competence developments, regardless the area (Jara, Candelas, Puente & Torres, 2011; García-Peñalvo, F.J., & Colomo-Palacios, R., 2015). In order to become experts when dealing with complex problems in which high competence level relations have to be applied, students have to become fluent in the language of nature and a successful designer, and for that engineering students must perform numerous experiments practice laboratory work (Gustavsson et al., 2011a). These competences they develop along their education, will help them deal with more complex problems in their professional life. Traditionally this experimental work was developed in laboratories. But in the last decades, with the general growth of the number of students attending higher education, the physical resources were no longer sufficient. Simultaneously other scientists started developing computer simulations and remote labs, allowing students to practice some experimental skills in a different manner. With the laboratory time reduced in most European Engineering Schools, this became a complementary way of trying to bridge this gap (Gustavsson et al., 2011a; Nickerson, Corter, Esche & Chassapis, 2007). On the other hand, it also allowed students to extended access to learning resources and improved their freedom to organize their own learning activities according to their perception of their learning needs. This factor potentiates students’ autonomy, which was also one of the main objectives of the Bologna Process (Gustavsson et al., 2011a). The actual economic restrictions and pressure also contributes to the development of these new technologies decreasing the cost associated with classroom and laboratory spaces (Nickerson, Corter, Esche & Chassapis, 2007). It also increments the possibility of mature students return to university to update their current skills or even develop new ones, as they can access these resources from other places, minimizing the distance factor.