A Hybrid Bank of Didactic Resources for Energy Engineering

At present there are many didactic resources applicable to Engineering, both material (laboratory equipment) and virtual (videos, simulations). Often, however, these resources do not fit well into classroom teaching practice due to their orientation, length, or portability. This scarcity of didactic resources is more evident in the face of some teaching challenges such as the promotion of a research vocation, support in difficult content or help to overcome the gap between academic and professional perspectives. The search, selection or development of the most appropriate resources requires a strong dedication on the part of teachers. For this reason, the resources should be easily reusable in as many courses as possible. This communication describes the experience of a group of professors from the Area of Thermal Machines and Engines in the implementation of a hybrid bank of didactic resources oriented to the teaching of Energy and Sustainability Engineering. The process of bank design, application, and evaluation is illustrated using four of the resources produced: a demonstration of Nukiyama's experiment, a collection of heat transfer review videos, an introductory thermography hands-on session, and a class contest about fuel cell operation. The empirical findings suggest an enhancement in students’ academic performance, with mean grades increasing by 1.1/10–4.2/10, as well as in self-perceived learning. The suggested approach aims to improve students’ grasp of essential content, creating a more efficient and captivating learning environment.