Online learning environment tools in higher education : contributions to their integration in engineering courses

Abstract

In order to understand the potential of Online Learning Environment tools and resources in Engineering Education, a project on the use of dedicated educational strategies has been carried-out in various European Schools of Engineering to improve students’ engagement on different forms of participation and to enhance their learning outcomes. This study focuses on the use of Web 2.0 tools while teaching Manufacturing Processes to Industrial Engineering students of a Higher Education Portuguese Polytechnic Institute during a full semester. Cumulatively to students’ perceptions, data was collected and assessed to infer about two main research questions: “Are engineering students able to use efficiently online learning tools to enhance their autonomous learning process?” and “Can engineering students work collaboratively using online tools towards achieving common learning goals?”. Preliminary findings showed that students managed to efficiently use the proposed online collaborative learning tools during the course. However, students preferred the individual learning tools and processes to working and learning collaboratively from and with each other.