INTEGRATION OF THEORY AND PRACTICE IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION: AN EXPERIENCE WITH ACTIVE LEARNING METHODOLOGIES IN A THERMOMECHANICAL TREATMENTS COURSE
Keywords:
Active learning methodologies, Project-based learning, Collaborative learning methodologies, Engineering education, Metallurgical and materials engineeringAbstract
Given the need to update teaching practices in engineering education, active learning methodologies have been adopted as strategies to promote greater student protagonism. In this context, this paper analyzes the application of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Collaborative Learning in the Thermomechanical Treatments course offered to the Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Engineering undergraduate programs at the Polytechnic School of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The course was structured around an integrated experimental project involving thermomechanical processing route planning, computational simulation, laboratory-based experimental execution, microstructural characterization, and mechanical property evaluation. The analysis was based on instructor observations, records of activities developed throughout the semester, and qualitative student feedback collected at the end of the course. The results indicate high student engagement, stronger integration between theory and practice, and the development of competencies relevant to engineering education, such as autonomy, decision-making, critical thinking, and teamwork. It is concluded that the use of active learning methodologies contributed to enhancing the teaching–learning process by aligning the educational experience with contemporary demands in engineering education.
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