AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CHALLENGE BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCE INVOLVING STUDENTS FROM BIOMEDICAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING

This contribution describes the implementation of an interdisciplinary pilot experience based on the methodology of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). It has involved students from different degrees at the Telecommunication Engineering School of the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM), the Degree in Telecommunications Technology and Services Engineering, and the Degree in Biomedical Engineering. The challenge proposed was developing a prototype and creating a technology company associated to it. Here, in addition to the description of how the challenges were addressed by the students and their results, we discuss the way in which the work carried out has been evaluated. This evaluation has been based on different aspects: the presentation of the project, the provided documentation, the project tracking by the professors and in the surveys that students have carried out for the self-evaluation of the group work and its dynamics. These surveys have also allowed us to compare heterogeneous and homogeneous work groups, the latter being formed only by students from one of the degrees. Surveys showed that the students who have participated in the heterogeneous groups have achieved a higher degree of involvement and motivation. As a consequence of this motivation and together with the other evaluation aspects, we observed that the students of the heterogenous groups achieved a deeper knowledge of their respective courses and therefore they obtained excellent qualifications.