Improving Soft Skills through an Interdisciplinary Approach in a Realistic Context between Education and CS Students in an HCI Course

Maximiliano Paredes-Velasco; Mónica Arnal-Palacián; Jaime Urquiza-Fuentes; Mercedes Martín-Lope. 2023. IEEE Transactions on Education, accepted

Abstract:Contribution: Prior studies on pedagogical methodologies to acquire soft skills have shown that developing collaborative tasks produces positive impact in students’ abilities. In this article, a pedagogical approach based on interdisciplinary practice and realistic problems is proposed to improve students’ teamwork skills. Background: Traditionally, soft skill acquisition has received scarce attention in high education curricula. Consequently, students finish their studies without having developed important competencies, such as communication, conflict resolution and teamwork skills. Intended Outcomes: Students who follow a realistic interdisciplinary approach improve both their soft and hard skills compared to students who follow a traditional collaborative pedagogical methodology. Through the approach proposed, students progress in completing tasks, participating in the team, collaborating in the organization, accepting agreements and taking into account the others’ points of view. Application Design: The experience involved students from two different disciplines, prospective computer science engineers and preservice teachers. They worked together to design an educational application that required prospective engineers to apply Human–Computer Interaction fundamentals. A quasi-experimental study was performed using either knowledge tests or self-assessment pre-post-tests, both subsequently analyzed using quantitative methods. Findings: 1) the prospective CS engineers who followed the interdisciplinary realistic practice approach achieved better learning outcomes than those who did not; 2) the educational context affects teamwork skill development; and 3) students improved their ability to work and participate in the team after the experience.

Self-archived version from URJC's institutional open repository: download PDF.

Increasing students’ responsibility and learning outcomes using partial Flipped Classroom in a Language Processors course

Jaime Urquiza-Fuentes. 2020. IEEE Access, 8, 211211-211223

Abstract: More than twenty years have passed since the term Flipped Classroom was coined. Despite of the increasing interest in this teaching methodology, fields like Computer Science still need more research in order to judge the impact of this methodology in the learning process. This work presents a comparative study between traditional lectures and a partial application of the Flipped Classroom methodology in the subject Language Processors of a Computer Science degree. The study involved 158 students during two weeks and focused on practical contents of the subject. The results show that students in the Flipped Classroom group were more responsible of their learning process, consequently they got significant better learning outcomes either during or at the end of the learning process. Students’ satisfaction was highly positive as well. This work increases the amount of experiments about Flipped Classroom within the field of Computer Science. In addition, this work serves as an example of how to begin the transition from traditional lectures to the Flipped Classroom methodology.

Self-archived version from URJC's institutional open repository: download PDF.

Educational Impact of Syntax Directed Translation Visualization, a Preliminary Study

Damián Nicolalde-Rodríguez & Jaime Urquiza-Fuentes. 2018. 2018 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC), Lisbon, Portugal, 1 - 4 October 2018.

Abstract: This work studies the effect of using software visualization to teach syntax directed translation, a complex topic within compiler subjects. A trial was conducted with 34 students using LISA as the visualization tool. It was divided in two phases. Firstly, student’s experience during compilers construction labs was studied, comparing LISA versus CUP. All participants used both tools and answered a questionnaire. LISA was scored as more motivational and easier to use. Moreover, key theoretical concepts were better identified with LISA. Secondly, a typical lecture (control group) was compared against a lecture using LISA (treatment group). Students were randomly distributed between both groups and answered a knowledge test following the lectures. Results showed that the treatment group significantly outperformed the control group. However, areas for improvement have been detected even in the treatment group. These improvements could be addressed by enhancing the visualization tool with features to increase student engagement..

A Novel Group Engagement Score for Virtual Learning Environments

Jorge Castellanos, Pablo A. Haya , Jaime Urquiza-Fuentes. 2017. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies ( Volume: 10, Issue: 3, July-Sept. 1 2017 ), pp 306-317

Abstract: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education is currently receiving much attention from governments and educational institutions. Our work is based on active learning and video-based learning approaches to support STEM education. Here, we aimed to increase student's engagement through reflective processes that embrace video film-making, and subsequent on-line discussion and evaluation of those videos. We propose a group engagement score that takes into account both individual activity and similarity of participation, thus allowing corrective actions to be taken when unengaged students or groups are identified. We tested these ideas using our own social learning platform that combines the principal features of Social Networks with tools that facilitate collaborative learning design. This platform stimulates students' learning by means of two main reflective processes: participatory production and peer-review. We evaluated this platform and the learning approach it supports in an Object Oriented Programming course and identified interesting differences between group engagement and video ratings. Our principal conclusion is that greater teacher and student awareness of the ongoing activities and group engagement are needed.

Investigating the effect of realistic projects on students' motivation, the case of Human-Computer interaction course

Jaime Urquiza-Fuentes, Maximiliano Paredes-Velasco. Computers in Human Behavior 72 (2017) 692-700. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.07.020

Abstract: The aim of this study is to test the effect of a concrete way to use practical exercises in a human-computer interaction course. Our approach is focused on lab sessions, replacing typical concrete exercises with realistic projects based on collaborative work, long term duration (the whole course instead of concrete labs) and multidisciplinary design interacting with real end-users. The realistic projects approach supports the practice of theoretical concepts together with professional skills development, e.g. social skills needed to interact with end-user without technical background. In order to assess this approach we have conducted a comparative study with three different groups involving 133 students. Two groups followed the realistic projects approach, the difference between them was end-users recruitment. End-users were recruited by teachers in one group and by the students in the other. The third group followed the typical approach. Our comparative study is based on students' motivation. We have chosen the Situational Motivation Scale as the measurement instrument. Results show that, independently from the end-user recruitment, students involved in realistic projects are significantly more motivated than students involved in the general approach. Thus, students involved in realistic projects perceive that these activities are useful or important for them.

Pre-print open access version: https://eciencia.urjc.es/handle/10115/16528