IPS’ Technology and Industrial Management graduate course: a curriculum followup analysis

Lourenço, Rodrigo Teixeira; Ferreira, Elsa; Duarte, Rogério; Gonçalves, Helena; Duarte, Joana

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/5341

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Authors

Lourenço, Rodrigo Teixeira

Abstract(s)

The Technology and Industrial Management (T&IM) course of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (IPS), Portugal, is a four year graduate course organized in trimesters with three course units per trimester [quarter]. In the last two trimesters [quarters] internships or real context projects prepare students for a smoother integration in the professional activity. From its beginning, in 2007, T&IM was designed for adults who develop a full-time professional activity in industrial companies, and needed to supplement their skills with those typical of managers and engineers. The b-learning methodology was adopted since it enabled the targeted students to better reconcile their academic, professional and family responsibilities. In 2010-2011 the first T&IM students concluded their graduate studies and, within IPS’ Integrated Management System, it was decided to monitor the suitability of the T&IM course curriculum. The following activities were undertaken: (a) data analysis, (b) satisfaction survey to current and graduate students, and (c ) focus groups with graduate students that had finished the course in 2010-2011. The data showed lower dropout numbers than those of IPS’ engineering courses. The survey showed good levels of satisfaction. Student satisfaction is high for curriculum related topics such as: (1) the course’s ability to develop transversal skills and (2) the course teaching methodology. Comparing graduate and current students survey results, the former group declares a higher overall satisfaction with the course. These results are consistent with those gathered from the focus group. During the focus group graduate students added that the skills acquired were comprehensive and appropriate to their understanding of how organizations actually operate. From the gathered results it is concluded that there is a good level of curriculum adequacy and student satisfaction, although there are “problem areas” and topics requiring further research.