Work by modules: a model of interdisciplinary and collaborative learning in the Degree in Engineering in Industrial Design and Product Development

This paper presents the model of work by modules developed during the first semester in the Degree in Engineering in Industrial Design and Product Development at the University of Zaragoza. This teaching model is proposed due to the organization of the degree into six-month subjects of the different areas of knowledge, in order to give response and coherence to the particular characteristics of the degree: technical discipline with important humanistic content, the heterogeneous profile of the students and the need to develop collaborative and interdisciplinary learning skills. The work of module is set as the main activity where the knowledge of the different subjects is integrated, thus promoting both collaborative and interdisciplinary learning. The activity allows the six-monthly coordinated work with the transversal key competences and the use of the ITC on learning. The collaborative environment of the activity is also transferred to the teaching team that has introduced important methodological and organizational changes in their teaching in a coordinated manner. The implementation of the model has three important determining factors that differentiate it from other modules of the degree: the subjects that make up the module belong to very different areas of knowledge, they are elementary, and students lack prior experience in the implementation of similar activities. Despite these constraints, the proposed model has been highly valued both by students and teachers.