CREATIVITY AND ENGINEERING DESIGN: ANALYSIS INTO THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

Alfonso Martin-Erro1, Manuel Dominguez1 and Maria del Mar Espinosa1 1Design Engineering Area - Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid

(SPAIN)

Abstract

Creativity is an important subject in many areas, regarding design. Engineering Designers has to face several design problems, since concept ideation to detail as well as manufacturing. A creative strategy will easily solve most of engineering design problems. Visual thinking is important mean for a creative practice on engineering design. There are several studies and methods for creativity and engineering design. However, creativity and engineering remains as an open question. Engineering professionals do not apply creativity as it is desired. A survey study confirmed this lack of creativity in the engineering design processes. One of these causes can be allocated into the educational phase of engineers. Current engineering educational programs are replacing subjects where creativity is fostered. One case is the use of Computer Aided Design for tasks later performed by sketches. Sketching is a visual thinking tool considered as paramount for designers and a proven tool for creative work. Engineering students does not often work with sketches and uses computer aided design tools instead. In this paper we study several creative learning approaches from various perspectives and then we propose an implementation model into the engineering academic programs. In the first part we will discuss the open question of creativity on engineering. Need of creativity as well as different creative approaches are shown. In the second part we will show a survey study made on some engineering professionals. In the third part we will analyse this question focusing on the educational stage and in the fourth part a proposal is made according to visual thinking to implement creativity on engineering education

Keywords: Creativity, Engineering Design, Creative Methods, Visual Thinking, Engineering Education.

1 THE NEED OF CREATIVITY FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN

Creativity can be defined as the ability to use imagination to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods. It is applied in many areas, regarding design. Artist, product designers and architects are clearly seen as creative professionals, but about engineers there is a common perception that they aren´t creative, or even that they do not need it. On the contrary, creativity is essential for engineering [1]. When chemical, electrical, industrial, mechanical, and systems engineers face with all kinds of technical problems, they do it in an inherent creative manner [2]. A creative strategy is then the adequate way for solving engineering problems and for industrial innovation. Great engineers combine scientific thinking with creative thinking, which results in breakthrough innovative ideas, outside of engineering paradigms [3]. To have a successful completion of a product, one engineer should have creative ideas [4]. The design process in engineering projects pursues too get innovative products in a functional and cost-effective manner, so Engineering Designers must adopt a creative approach for the equipment development, systems and facilities. Creativity is therefore a key factor in engineering design problems, since concept ideation to detail as well as manufacturing.

There are various creative techniques, since most known Brainstorming to Synectics, as well as morphological charts, TRIZ, forced relations, mind mapping, Brainsketching and so on. These can be identified from various perspectives: logical, intuitive or visual. Apart of creative methods, Visual thinking is a practice of using pictures to solve problems, clearly linked with creativity. For engineering design practice, visual thinking is essential. Design Engineers think visually in a great amount, using visual tools to think, communicate and store their ideas. Among these, sketching is considered the principal approach by which design engineers externalize their concepts and where the drawings provide visual clues for refinement and revision.

2 CREATIVE BEHAVIOR OF DESIGN ENGINEERS

In order to see how creativity is present on real engineering design practice, we made a comparative study [5], consisting on a questionnaire about conceptual design resources, including creative methods applied and tools required for creative design tasks. We distributed this questionnaire on engineering professionals as well as industrial designers in order to compare the results. As we obtained from questionnaires, most of the engineers who participated in the survey were familiar with the classic creativity-enhancing technique of brainstorming: 35% of design engineers always applied brainstorming and 47% usually. Compared to the industrial designers, they always apply brainstorming (64%) and usually (21%). TRIZ, more suited for engineering processes, is not commonly applied by engineers. It is, the less used creative methods for both engineers and designers: only 6% of engineers always applies TRIZ, 6% often and 29% does not use. It is important to remark that 59% of engineers do not know this creative method.

On the other hand, visual, creative methods are the third method applied by design engineers, but the frequency is less than designers: 18% of engineers always use brainsketching, and 6% always use mind mapping. 38% of designers always use brainsketching and also 38% always use mind mapping.

Other results of the questionnaire showed the frequency of use of tools for support conceptual design tasks, when creativity plays a key role. It is important to remark that 56% of engineers used 3D CAD at conceptual design tasks, the same as sketching. Compared to industrial designers, they apply sketching much more than another method. (93% uses sketches as a basic tool).

The results of these studies showed that creative behaviour of design engineers is not as required, less than industrial designers, and in some manner engineers apply improperly. Visual thinking, which should have a clear preference for engineering design, is applied lower than other methods less frequency than industrial designers. In addition, sketching practice is less used than designers. The use of CAD in design stages when creativity plays a vital role, is rather high, more frequent that sketching.

3 CREATIVITY AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

The causes of this deficient creative behaviour by engineers can be allocated for engineering education. As engineers do not apply properly creative techniques or adopt a creative attitude is because they are not taught how to do that. The fact is that presence of creativity at engineering schools is scarce or does not exist: current engineering curricula places an emphasis on producing students familiar with engineering and technological knowledge and skills. Creativity, being an essential component in engineering design, is not adequately considered at educational stage of engineers. Engineering curricula tends to enhance analytical subjects and a little creative thinking. The authors shows that engineering schools do not adequately prepare students for creative endeavours or for the realities of modern industry [1]. In addition, creativity is not valued in the Contemporary Engineering Education. In many cases, students think that engineering should be an intellectual activity involving deductive and mathematical thinking and apply this to conceptual design [4]. Creative work by the students is seen very often by faculty as an excuse for sloppy work. Even, some scholars believe that engineering is a serious business that demands tedious attention to detail and an absolute need for accuracy [6]. The point is that the small percentage of decisions made by a design engineer on the basis of the kind of calculation he has spent so much time to learn [7].

In addition, engineering curricula makes students to be mathematically stronger, but less on graphics and visual thinking skills. Mataix [8] identified a decrease in teaching hours for graphical subjects in modern engineering curricula. Moreover, Graphical subjects, even pays more attention to metric geometry and CAD training, and so sketching practice is being totally displaced by modern computer-aided tools. The feeling is that sketching is not valued as a powerful visual thinking tool and seen as an old drawing method, replaced by new computer drafting interfaces.

The consequences are a limited experience of creative and critical thinking and analysis in, for example, identifying needs to address and problems to solve, and in making critical judgements on current issues [9], with the risk to have “mediocre engineers” [7]. The abuse of CAD means a decline

in engineers spatial abilities [8] which implies on Visual Thinking capabilities to mentally analyse three-dimensional engineering problems. Also, the authors identify certain restrictions that CAD tools imposes on the designer during early design [10]. Veisz [11] investigated the effect of the decline of sketching practice by full use of CAD, showing that as novice engineers and educators are inclined to apply CAD tools at the earliest stages of design, it causes a loss of design efficiency and effectiveness.

4 APPROACHES TO INCLUDE CREATIVITY ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Increasingly more researchers in education and industry see the importance of fostering creativity at engineering educational stage [9]. The engineering training shall be encouraged to be creative in many aspects of design and development, while keeping with the requirement of legal constraints and demands [12]. The engineering profession and universities need to adopt policies and practices that encourage creative and divergent thinking at the solution generation phase of problem-solving [4]. Developing assessments that will motivate students to improve their creative skills and increase awareness of their personal creative process is a key need in engineering pedagogy [13].

4.1 Approaches

Court [4] shows that the effort to improve creativity in engineering design an arduous and difficult task to teach: motivating undergraduate students to think in a creative manner is not such an easy task as at first thought. This may be caused on engineering student´s background mainly based on analytical and scientific matters as well as the “way of thinking they learning”. To address this, there are some academic approaches such as made by Badran [14] who proposes a systematic approach to help develop the possible courses and activities that would enhance creativity and innovation skills and capabilities of a graduate engineer and Baillie [15] presents a model to consider the 'creative potential' in order to promote discussion about appropriate education developments that may be incorporated within or be additional to an engineering programme. Examples of two such developments are given which place the engineering student in a multidisciplinary context to enhance the potential for creative thinking. Torrance [16] recommends several guidelines to promote creativity at lessons (Before and after), which includes confrontation with ambiguities and uncertainties, questions to establish set for examining information in new ways, Multiple hypotheses encouraged, Elaborating some element through drawings, dramatics, imaginative stories, etc.

There are cases reported in the literature to the inclusion of creative aspects at engineering curricula, such as at Olin College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute [2]. Other cases are cited by Bull, Montgomery, & Baloche [17]. There are reported cases to engineering educators that include creativity on their courses. Richards [1] offer several courses aimed at fostering creative and entrepreneurial thinking-ranging from the first year to the graduate level at the University of Virginia. Masi [18] studied the incorporation of the process of creativity in four different courses, (materials science, electron devices, electro optics, and electrical machinery).

We also identified some inclusion of creative subject on engineering educational programmes. These are mainly on last courses, and not related to engineering design, but more oriented to problem-solving according to new trends on enterprises creativity and innovation. State of Graphical literacy remains the same, as we have not identified any effort to implement sketching practice nor to enhance spatial abilities.

4.1.1 Training on creative methods

Court [4] shows that many of engineering students find the demands of a creative role both unfamiliar and uncomfortable, as their educational background does not consider creative aspects. The need to show future engineers the available methods and techniques to work in a creative manner is therefore required. This is, according to Court one of the major difficulties in teaching design is that of creativity and the selection of the appropriate tools and techniques. Among them, Brainstorming seems to be favoured method adopted by engineering design academics [4], as it is also an easy method to learn and to apply. Other adequate methods for engineering designers should be analogy [19], Synectics or

morphological charts, as well as TRIZ or functional analysis. Related to creative resources, Richards [1] suggest that students must learn how to capture and manipulate ideas, and so it is necessary to provide tools for creating: physical such as a design notebook, a reflective journal, and a sketchbook are valuable tools. Computer programs for solid (3D) modeling, analysis, simulation, and visualization can be used to capture, manipulate, and communicate our ideas. And cognitive: ways of thinking, perceiving and evaluating information.

4.1.2 Approaches based on creative practice

Better than theoretical aspects on creativity, it is more useful to focus into a practical perspective: stimulating creativity of students can be as simple as allowing small groups of students to brainstorm solutions to a problem set, refine their idealists, and present their solutions to the larger class [2]. All academic projects where engineering students would be involved require a creative effort, and these “engineering projects” should be performed at all year. Santamarina [20] warns that “teaching creativity has limited impact if it is not immersed in problem solving exercises.” He recommends assigning daily time in the classroom for creative thinking and the “simple, yet far reaching modification” of incorporating additional, open-ended questions to every assignment.

According to a practical perspective of creative teaching for engineering students, an interesting one is working with projects. It has long been recognized that projects are a good approach to develop a creative ability, which is vital to the overall education of engineering design. That strategy encourages students to look deeply and laterally at individual topics and consider how they can be applied to real situations, avoiding surface learning as it let students will reflect on their own creative processes, and so to see ways to improve their creativity.

4.1.3 Problem Based Learning and Project Based Learning

An interesting teaching strategy for creative learning is through problem-solving. As the problem-solving process calls the need for creativity, engineering students shall nurture creativity through its practice. This strategy would empower students to gain self-confidence and to assume the challenges to their future career as a design engineer. Teaching the students systematic approaches to solving problems is very important, because understanding the routes of problem-solving may help illuminate how to activate creativity in the students [21]. The educator can nurture student´s creativity through teaching strategies oriented towards problem-solving. Results of works by Court [4] revealed that this strategy is optimal for creativity assimilation by the students. Some creative learning models are based on systematic problem solving tasks [21].

Project-based learning (PBL) is another practical teaching approach that forces students to creatively grapple with real-world-style projects. PBL can force engineering students make connections between courses and also to seek out and solve problems at the boundaries of the engineering disciplines [22]. Used regularly, PBL can also result in Increased critical thinking and self-direction, Higher comprehension and better skill development, Self-motivated attitudes, enhanced awareness of the benefits of teamwork and a more active and enjoyable learning process [2].

Other teaching strategy to practical stimulation of creativity is related on including design courses as well as design activities. There are cases reporting this approach. Richards [1] shows some courses at the University of Virginia to stimulating creativity by design projects. Stouffer [2] reported some cases of classroom exercises to design machines and structures by University of Nevada-Reno and advanced systems engineering students of the U.S. Naval Academy Since 2000, several engineering programs in Hong Kong introduced design subjects aimed at nurturing students creative capabilities [9]. All of the courses described above employ interdisciplinary teams to solve open ended problems.

4.1.4 Teaching visual thinking and visual tools as an engineering design creative resource.

A proven method of developing creativity is to exercise visual thinking. This is not an alternative to analytical and verbal modes of thought, but a powerful method for creative activities and so for design. [23] It is then crucial to familiarize visual thinking to students, which means that they improve their fluency and flexibility in the idea generation. Teaching visual thinking gives students first-hand experiences in visual, kinesthetic and inner imagery, and helps them to understand the relationship between perception and creative problem solving by developing the interrelated skills of seeing and freehand drawing. Many educators feel that drawing is essential and are requiring this skill in their courses [23]. Using drawing imaginatively, as Leonardo da Vinci said, is “as a way of enhancing and

arousing the mind to various inventions.” [23]. First early approach to teach Visual Thinking is in engineering is a specific course at Freshman level taught since the 1960's at Stanford university. The course seeks to enter to problem solving strategies and philosophies needed for successful engineering design [24]. Another approach is to teach visual techniques. Juhl et. al [25] studied the value of visual representations of engineering design and how engineering students engage with engineering design challenges by using visual representations. One case of visual representation is Mind mapping which uses to engineering education was studied by Zampatekis et.al [26].

Sketching is one of the most effective visual thinking tools. The influence of a pre-sketching activity on the quantity and the novelty of the design solutions was studied by Worinkeng [27] as well as Ullman [28] and Taborda et. al [10] who evaluated the value of sketching to enhance visual thinking and so creativity on students through a toy design course. It is then paramount that academia gives engineering students the value of sketching, as well of foster its use, to train the future design engineer “not only in the standard drafting skills, but additionally in the ability to represent concepts that are more abstract and best represented as sketches”. To foster creative problem solving, engineering schools should offer formal courses in sketching and drawing in support of design projects: teaching basic techniques in freehand sketching would help them generate quicker and more effective external visualizations of their ideas, and thus foster their creativity [10].

Apart of specific visual tools for creative practice, it is important to recover spatial abilities which are necessary to a mental visual representation of design ideas. Mataix point that it is needed to take into account spatial abilities, enhance visual thinking, regarding for engineers. He proposed it by several specific courses [8].

4.1.5 Computer-aided tools oriented to creative work as an alternative to CAD

To correct the inappropriate use of CAD, as we understand the need of computer integration into design tasks and so on conceptual stages, where creativity plays a vital role, we consider current state-of-the-art computer applications more adequate for creative work. Currently, these systems cannot substitute traditional sketching, but means an interesting spot in order to quickly implement design ideas into a computational environment. State of the art shows various solutions which we can remark computer-aided sketching, digital sculpting, and free solid modeling. Most of these tools are widely applied at arts colleges, and so for video game design, jewelry and with potential to car design. The potential of these tools is based on human-computer interfaces, more friendly than CAD and adapted to human usual creative practices. Alcaide-Marzal [29] reported experiences on design engineering students at the Valencia Polythecnic University in the use of digital sculpting for creative design tasks. Computer-aided Skecthing, being as closer approach to a creative computer-aided tool, is, however the less matured, achieving interesting goals just at academic environment. Free-solid modeling tools, such as Sketchup, are so applied in architecture as well as industrial design, for presentations. Currently we identified monographic courses at university level of Sketchup. Other solid modeling tools, such as 123D, unless designed to free STL modeling, incorporates interfaces which are to be under interest for some creative design tasks.

4.2 A Model for creative fostering on engineering curricula

We propose an implementation model to incorporate creativity into the engineering curricula. The model is based on creative enhancing by projects and mostly oriented to visual thinking practice. Enhancement of proper use of computer applications must be applied to educational programs as well as the enhancement of traditional tools, such as sketching, to foster visual thinking, and dihedral drawing on paper and pencil, according to enhance spatial abilities, trying to let student to think visually in 3D.

This model seeks to gradually incorporate creativity skills by learning techniques and later applying to finally implement a creative “way of thinking”. While a single course may not be able to incorporate all of the creative skills, creative presence on all year engineering educational programme must be applied. Similar to Treffinger model [30], this shall be done at various levels. One is theoretical; which allows students to know available creative tools and techniques. Second is practical, in order to infuse creative behavior to face real technical problems as well as an ideation task for engineering design

projects. The third level is responsible of educators, who must help future engineers to adopt a “creative attitude” consisting in on leading at classes technical discussions, how see problems with various views, inculcate think alternatives, confront it and evaluate. The value of in-group´s creativity is also considered in our model, as groups’ activities must be included.

Introductory courses at the freshman level, about creativity methods and tools, such as Brainstorm, mind mapping, analogy, Synectics or TRIZ.

Inclusion of sketching practice on graphic expression course´s content, as well as descriptive geometry using paper and pencil.

Complement CAD training with new computer aided design tools, more applied to creative practice such as Sketchup, Digital sculpting or Sketchbook.

From the second year to later, apply creativity to real design processes to face some design problems, by design project courses which follows PBL principles. Special attention shall be paid to sketching practice, mind mapping and so schemes to these problem-solving tasks.

5 CONCLUSSIONS

Creativity and engineering concepts are linked. Engineers need creativity to face all technical problems, as well to generate design concepts. But, as we saw on an empirical study, engineer´s creative behavior is not as expected. We analyzed this question focusing on educational stage. The importance of implementing creativity education in the classroom has not been fully recognized, being an open question for universities: engineering curricula pays more attention to analytical subjects than creative ones. CAD training replaced paper and pencil, as in the academia value of sketching as a creative tool is not considered. The consequences of this excessive CAD usage mean a deficiency of spatial abilities and so on sketching skills, which are required for creative engineering design. Approaches to address the open question of creativity on engineering, by educational aspects was shown. Teaching of methods, as well as practical courses is proposed and in cases implemented to nurture the creativity of engineering students. It is shown some efforts to include creative aspects of engineering curricula. In most of the cases, visual thinking aspects are few considered, by our point of view, this must be taken into account, regardless that visual thinking is paramount in engineering design. We present a model to implement creativity on engineering education based on the value of visual thinking tools, such as sketching, as well as to acquire spatial abilities for engineering students. Proper use of computer aided tools, both CAD and other more oriented to creative work, is also proposed. We identified trends of including creative subjects on current engineering curricula. Although it is not as optimal, the approach is not as adequate we feel a change of attitude by academia to consider the value of creativity. Our effort is to follow this path and to gradually begin to a new educational paradigm on engineers education.

REFERENCES

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CREATIVITY AND ENGINEERING DESIGN: ANALYSIS INTO THEEDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

A. Martin­Erro, M. Dominguez, M.M. Espinosa

Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Design Engineering Area (SPAIN) 

Creativity is an important subject in many areas, regarding design. Engineering Designers have to face several

design problems, since concept ideation to detail as well as manufacturing. A creative strategy will easily solve

most of engineering design problems. Visual Thinking is important mean for a creative practice on engineering

design. There are several studies and methods for creativity and engineering design. However, creativity and 

engineering remains as an open question. Engineering professionals do not apply creativity as it is desired. A

survey study confirmed this lack of creativity in the engineering design processes. One of these causes can be

allocated into the educational phase of engineers. Current engineering educational programs are replacing

subjects where creativity is fostered. One case is the use of Computer Aided Design for tasks later performed by

sketches. Sketching is a visual thinking tool considered as paramount for designers and a proven tool for creative

work. Engineering students does not often work with sketches and uses computer aided design tools instead. In 

this paper we study several creative methods and tools from various perspectives and then we propose an

implementation model into the engineering academic programs. In the first part we will discuss the open question

of creativity on engineering. Need of creativity as well as different creative approaches are shown. In the second

part we will show a survey study made on some engineering professionals. In the third part we will analyze this

question focusing on the educational stage and in the fourth part a proposal is made to implement creativity on

engineering education.

keywords: creativity, engineering design, creative methods, visual thinking, engineering education.

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Appears in:EDULEARN15 Proceedings(browse)

Pages: 1304­1310Publication year: 2015ISBN: 978­84­606­8243­1ISSN: 2340­1117 

Conference name: 7thInternational Conference onEducation and New LearningTechnologies Dates: 6­8 July, 2015 Location: Barcelona, Spain

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HOW COMMITTED IS YOUR COUNTRY TO DISTANCE LEARNING EDUCATION? – THE COMMITMENT TO DISTANCE LEARNING HIGHER EDUCATION MODEL (CDLHEM) P. Pouyioutas

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ANALYSIS AND FEASIBILITY OF PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION V. Steffen, A. Bueno Villaverde

68

EXAMINING THE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF COLLABORATION, SOCIALIZATION AND TASK COMPLEXITY IN AN ONLINE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT T. Akin, S. Keskin, H. Çirali, C. Dalgiç, M. Erdem

77

A TRANSFORMATIONAL MODEL FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION L. Dimitroff, L. Durant-Jones, S. Szekeres

88

A SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL LEARNING STRATEGY FOR USE IN INCLUSIVE CLASSES: LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL A.M. Buka, J. Molepo

90

USING GOOGLE DOCS TO ENHANCE THE LEARNING DIMENSION OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT C. Dawson

96

BUILDING LITERACY AND MEDIA SKILLS WITH TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED READING RESPONSE K. Higdon, H. Atkins, C. Roberts

102

ADAPTIVE E-LEARNING IN THE PROCESS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING S. Nedbalova, K. Kostolanyova

107

COLOBOT GAME AS LEARNING TOOL FOR OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING B. Panczyk, M. Panczyk

114

THE DYNAMICS OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION WHILE ENHANCING CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCY - USING INNOVATIVE LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODOLOGIES C. Singh, S. Gandhioke

123

EDUCATIONAL KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER IN INDIGENOUS MEXICAN AREAS USING CLOUD COMPUTING L.R. Valencia Pérez, J.M. Peña Aguilar, A. Lamadrid Álvarez, A. Pastrana Palma, H.F. Valencia Pérez, M. Vivanco Vargas

125

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THE ROLE OF INFORMATION LITERACY IN OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO LEARNING AND LIFELONG LEARNING H. Rahanu, N. Khan, E. Georgiadou, K. Siakas

1184

DIGITAL RESOURCES IN THE TEACHING PROCESS - A STUDY ON THE DIDACTIC MATERIALS IN ARGENTINA C. Tosi

1195

CHARACTERISING THE SUCCESS FACTORS ON DISTANCE LEARNING USING THE HOFSTEDE CULTURAL FRAMEWORK P. Gómez-Rey, E. Barberà-Gregori, F. Fernández-Navarro

1201

ANALYSIS OF THE KIND OF VIDEOS AND THEIR UTILITY IN PHYSICS SUBJECTS IN VIRTUAL AND BLENDED ENVIRONMENTS V.J. García-Hernández, A. Pérez-Navarro, J. Conesa

1211

TOWARD BRIDGING THE ASSESSMENT GAP BETWEEN STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS IN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION W. Salem

1221

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON SKILLS NEEDED FOR THE FINAL-YEAR PROJECT C.G. Dumitrache, N. Calet, J.A. González

1232

REUSING AND RECYCLING OF WASTE PAPER IN THE CONFIGURATION AND ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION A.Y. Esmail, Y.M. El Sayed

1240

INTRA-URBAN SPACES IN EGYPTIAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS A WASTED MEANS OF EDUCATION A.Y. Esmail, Y.M. El Sayed

1250

REMEDIAL ALGEBRA COURSE USING LEARNING OBJECTS AS A STRATEGY TO REDUCE UNIVERSITY ATTRITION J. Garzón, C. Otero

1261

INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF FINNISH HIGHER EDUCATION PERSONNEL K. Medkova, B. Fifield

1266

CODE CAMP CONCEPT IN TEACHING AND INTEGRATION OF ESSENTIAL COMPUTER SCIENCE SKILLS K. Heikkinen, J. Porras, J. Ikonen

1275

RETHINKING AND REDEFINING TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES: THE EXAMPLE OF THE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT DEGREE AT VITORIA-GASTEIZ BUSINESS SCHOOL (UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY) O. Fotinopoulou, O. Garcia, J. Tejedor, L.M. Cerda

1285

PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION OF DISCRIMINATION IN TURKEY A. Toker Gokce

1295

CREATIVITY AND ENGINEERING DESIGN: ANALYSIS INTO THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT A. Martin-Erro, M. Dominguez, M.M. Espinosa

1304

ACTIVITY FOR LEARNING CHEMISTRY. DEVELOPMENT OF GENERIC AND SPECIFIC COMPETENCES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DIAGRAM FOR DISTILLATION M.J. Molina Rubio

1311

A WEB APPLICATION FOR THE ANALYSIS OF STUDENT USE OF VIDEO LEARNING RESOURCES C. Córcoles, M.A. Huertas, L. Porta

1317

UNIVERSITY–INDUSTRY COOPERATION FOR SUPPORTING SECTOR RESTRUCTURE: WOOD INDUSTRY CASE STUDY F. Ioras, J. Kaner, I. Bandara, J. Ratnasingam

1325

LEARNING PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS USING MOLECULAR MODELING C. Rius-Alonso, Y. González Quezada

1331

A SINO-FINNISH CASE: WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IN LAUNCHING A DOUBLE MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMME X. Guo, V. Taajamaa, T. Westerlund, L.R. Zheng, H. Tenhunen, T. Salakoski

1339

PLAGIARISM DETECTION AND PREVENTION – EXPERIENCES FROM THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS C. Rodosthenous, P. Christoforou, M. Epiphaniou, G. Matheou, S. Mavrotheris, C. Christodoulides

1348

USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TO ENHANCE STUDENT MOTIVATION TO LEARN IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION A. Muho

1356

CONFERENCEPROCEEDINGSCONFERENCEPROCEEDINGS

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Published by IATED Academy www.iated.org EDULEARN15 Proceedings 7th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies July 6th-8th, 2015 — Barcelona, Spain Edited by L. Gómez Chova, A. López Martínez, I. Candel Torres IATED Academy ISBN: 978-84-606-8243-1 ISSN: 2340-1117 Depósito Legal: V-1653-2015 Book cover designed by J.L. Bernat All rights reserved. Copyright © 2015, IATED The papers published in these proceedings reflect the views only of the authors. The publisher cannot be held responsible for the validity or use of the information therein contained.

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WELCOME INTRODUCTION

Dear EDULEARN15 participants,

We are delighted to welcome you all to the 7th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies.

After seven years, EDULEARN has become a reference event for lecturers and researchers from all over the world. It is the ideal place to be inspired by innovative ideas, different educational perspectives and to establish international partnerships.

Above all, we wish to thank all delegates who have participated, sharing their unique experiences and projects. More than 600 attendees from 80 different countries have contributed to the program, making EDULEARN15 a multidisciplinary and truly international conference.

We hope that your participation at this conference will provide you with an opportunity to open your minds to new educational innovations, to share your knowledge with other experts, and to be an active part of the connection between technology and education.

Thank you very much for your valuable contribution to EDULEARN15!

EDULEARN15 Organising Committee

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EDULEARN15 COMMITTEE AND ADVISORY BOARD

Aaron Doering UNITED STATES Leslie Eldridge UNITED STATES Agustín López SPAIN Lorena López SPAIN Amparo Girós SPAIN Luca Marrucci ITALY Ana Tomás SPAIN Luis Gómez Chova SPAIN Anna Kasimati GREECE Luk Bouters BELGIUM Antonio García SPAIN Lynn Boyle UNITED KINGDOM Ashling Ryan-Mangan IRELAND Mª Jesús Suesta SPAIN Barbara Tramonte UNITED STATES Maria Porcel SPAIN Bernhard Hoppe GERMANY Maria-Iuliana Dascalu ROMANIA Chelo González SPAIN Marta Dziluma LATVIA Chris Visser SOUTH AFRICA Minerva Cordero UNITED STATES Christian Bourret FRANCE Miroslav Hudjek CROATIA Cristina Lozano SPAIN Mohamed Noor Rosli Baharom MALAYSIA Daniel Boulos UNITED STATES Mónica Fernández SPAIN David Martí SPAIN Norma Barrachina SPAIN Eamon McAteer UNITED KINGDOM Olga Teruel SPAIN Edyta Olejarczuk POLAND Peter Haber AUSTRIA Eladio Duque SPAIN Peter Juskiw SWITZERLAND Giorgos Georgiou CYPRUS Rafael Fernández-Flores MEXICO Gyöngyi Bujdosó HUNGARY Ricardo Pistola PORTUGAL Ignacio Ballester SPAIN Rita Kumar UNITED STATES Ignacio Candel SPAIN Salote Scharr AUSTRALIA Irma Grdzelidze GEORGIA Sergio Pérez SPAIN Ismael Serrano SPAIN Shujaat Wasty CANADA Iván Martínez SPAIN Teresa De Fazio AUSTRALIA Jacques van der Meer NEW ZEALAND Thomas Köhler GERMANY James Meek UNITED KINGDOM Thomas Shields UNITED STATES Javier Domenech SPAIN Thomas Staubitz GERMANY Javier Martí SPAIN Tiziano Telleschi ITALY Joanna Lees FRANCE Tracy Treasure AUSTRALIA Jose F. Cabeza SPAIN Victor Fester NEW ZEALAND Jose Luis Bernat SPAIN Victoria Shimanovich UNITED STATES Kalaimagal Ramakrishnan MALAYSIA Vincenza Benigno ITALY Krystyna Nowak-Fabrykowski UNITED STATES Vivienne Griggs UNITED KINGDOM Laurence Solkin UNITED KINGDOM Xavier Lefranc FRANCE

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CONFERENCE SESSIONS

ORAL SESSIONS, 6th July 2015

Flipped Learning (1) Blended Learning (1) Teaching Programming Skills Educating the Educators: ICT Skills Literacy Meet the Keynote Planning the Digital-Age School New Technologies in Primary Education (1) Technologies in Business & Management Education Flipped Learning (2) Blended Learning (2) Problem Based Learning Experiences Pre-Service Teacher Experiences STEM Experiences in Higher Education Mobile & Tablet Technologies New Technologies in Primary Education (2) Experiences in Business Education Advanced Classroom Technologies (1) e-Learning Projects & Experiences e-Assessment & Testing Training Educational Staff (1) New Technologies in STEM Education (1) Language Learning Technologies Experiences in Secondary Education Inclusive & Multicultural Education Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) e-Learning in Distance Learning Evaluation & Assessment of Student Learning Training Educational Staff (2) Experiences in Primary & Secondary Education Language Learning Experiences (1) Experiences in Primary Education Inclusive Learning

POSTER SESSIONS, 6th July 2015 Pedagogical Innovations and Experiences Experiences in Education

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ORAL SESSIONS, 7th July 2015

Computer Supported Collaborative Work Educational Cloud Based Technologies Technology Enhanced Learning in HE Employability Issues Special Education Language Learning Experiences (2) Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Experiences in Assessment of Student Learning Mobile & Tablet Technologies: Student Response Systems Educational Software & Games (1) e-Learning Experiences Workplace Training and Employability Issues International Projects and Cooperation Pre-Service Teacher Experiences in Language Learning Learning Experiences in Higher and Further Education Experiences in Engineering Education Social & Digital Media in Education Educational Software & Games (2) e-Portfolios Entrepreneurship Education Student Support in Education (1) Leadership in 21st Century Education Learning Experiences in Math Education New Technologies in Engineering Education Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVE) Game Based Learning e-Tutoring & Mentoring Quality Management in Education Student Support in Education (2) Educational Management Experiences in Primary and Secondary STEM Education Experiences in Health Sciences Education Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) Educational Software & Games (3) Advanced Classroom Technologies (2) Curriculum Design and Development Plagiarism & Student Identity Authentication Pedagogical Innovations in Education New Technologies in STEM Education (2) New Technologies in Health Sciences Education

POSTER SESSIONS, 7th July 2015. Emerging Technologies in Teaching and Learning Challenges in Education and Research

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VIRTUAL SESSIONS Barriers to Learning Blended Learning Collaborative and Problem-based Learning Computer Supported Collaborative Work Curriculum Design and Development Distance Learning E-content Management and Development e-Learning Projects and Experiences Education and Globalization Educational Management Educational Software & Serious Games Educational Trends and Best Practice Contributions Emerging Technologies in Education Enhancing Learning and the Undergraduate Experience Entrepreneurship curriculum Evaluation and Assessment of Student Learning Experiences in Research Flipped Learning Impact of Education on Development International Projects Language Learning Innovations Learning and Teaching Methodologies Learning Experiences in Higher and Further Education Learning Experiences in Primary and Secondary Education Lifelong Learning Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Mobile and Tablet Technologies Mobile Learning New Learning/Teaching Models Organizational, Legal, Policy and Financial Issues Pre-service and In-service Teacher Experiences Quality Assurance/Standards and Accreditation Special Education Student Support in Education Technology-Enhanced Learning The Bologna Declaration and ECTS Experiences Training educational staff Transferring Skills and Disciplines Tutoring and Coaching University-Industry Cooperation Vocational Training