Learning of ethical and social competences in mechanical engineering degree

Abstract

The current educational model in Higher Education is regulated by the ministerial order CIN/351/2009 that establishes the profession of Industrial Technical Engineer as a regulated profession and therefore the conditions to which the study plans must be adapted are established. Some requirements have been established that involves training in knowledge and skills. Some of these competencies suppose an educational challenge to consider the social impact, ethics, and social commitment in the training and evaluation of students. It is the transversal competence enunciated as the "ability to act ethically and with social commitment." This competence is related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is the subject "Final Degree Project" (TFG), and its particular work methodology, which more directly allows the student to develop these skills, favoring the acquisition of social awareness and a commitment to the SDGs. In this work, various modalities of TFG carried out with the Service-Learning methodology are analyzed using different strategies, both initial approach, and development. In some cases, tangible final results are reached and the need or not to obtain a conclusive result is analyzed. Finally, the importance of an evaluative process throughout the development of the Work and at its conclusion is analyzed. The role of the teacher and the need to keep social intentionality present in the work process throughout all its stages are also analyzed, as well as the acquisition of social skills that are the object of the work.