Implications of the Bologna process in teaching-learning processes and practices: A case-study in Engineering and Psychology courses
Author(s):
Helena Lopes Isabel Menezes
Conference:
ECER 2009
Network:
22. Research in Higher Education
Format:
Paper

Session Information

22 SES 07 A, The Bologna Process

Paper Session

Time:
2009-09-29
15:30-17:00
Room:
HG, HS 33
Chair:
Jani Petri Ursin

Contribution

The transformations that resulted from the implementation of the Bologna process in Portuguese universities implied a series of changes in educational processes, formative contents and working methods, both for teachers and students. Of particular interest is the case of integrated Master courses, where the emphasis on personal and occupational competencies (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Cabrera et al., 2001; Reason et al, 2007) is closely related to the promotion of a specific professional profile – as is the case with Medicine, Architecture, Engineering and Psychology. This paper considers the experience of two of such courses, Engineering and Psychology, at the University of Porto, and discusses the processes and its contradictions in terms of teaching-learning processes (Pascasrella & Terenzini, 2005; Teixeira, &, Menezes, 2005) and the development of personal and occupational competencies, based on document analysis and interviews.

Method

This study intends to analyse and discuss the implementation of the Bologna process in three different integrated Master courses in engineering and psychology areas. This paper discuss qualitative data results, specifically teachers and student’s narratives and institutional documents of three different integrated masters –Integrated Master (I. M.) in Psychology, I. M. in Informatics and Computing Engineering and I. M. in Industrial Engineering. Document analysis and qualitative data, collected from interviews made on students, teachers and course directors, are presented and discussed

Expected Outcomes

This work points out the main initial expectations and further transformations in teaching practices and classroom experiences that occurs of the adhesion to the European Higher Education Space. Political and institutional documents about Bologna process are confronted with teachers’ and student’s reports about its effective implementation. Student’s competencies gains such as problem-solving skills, group interpersonal skills or design skills (Cabrera et al., 2001; Reason et al., 2007) in Bologna’s teaching and learning paradigm are discussed.

References

Cabrera, A.F., Colbeck, C.L. & Terenzini, P.T. (2001). Developing performance indicators for assessing classroom teaching practices and student learning: the case of engeneering. Research in Higher Education, 42 (3), 327-352. Reason, R.D., Terenzini, P.T., & Domingo, R. J. (2007). Developing social and personal competence in the first year of college. The Review of Higher Education, 30 (3), 271. Teixeira, P.&, Menezes, I. (2005). Learning climate in higher education: implications for citizenship education. The affective dimension of education: European perspectives, Edição 2005.

Author Information

Helena Lopes
Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciencies of the University of Porto
Porto
174
Isabel Menezes
Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciencies of the University of Porto, Portugal

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