Empowering Talented Students: An Italian Experience of an Enriched Curriculum in Engineering

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v9i3.10140

Keywords:

Top Bachelor Students, Action Research, Reverse Inclusion Process, Hybrid Learning, Soft-Skills

Abstract


This paper summarizes the design, the activities performed and the main results achieved by an innovative teaching program, set-up for the talented freshmen in Engineering Bachelor's courses at an Italian technical University, the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, starting from 2013. The project structure is here detailed, year-by-year, with a focus on both the reinforcement of an Engineering standard curriculum, and to the hybrid activities, also in non-technical areas, such as soft-skills, critical thinking, humanities, and creativity. The strategies and methods for the students' selection have been discussed, and the University human resource efforts and the costs involved are justified. The results achieved during a three-year experience, based on structured survey to collect students' feedback, are then critically analysed with the purpose to suggest implementation and further development.

Author Biographies

Maria Giulia Ballatore, Dept. of Mathematical Sciences `G.L. Lagrange', Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Maria Giulia Ballatore is a Research Fellow at the Department of Mathematical Sciences of the Politecnico di Torino. In the meantime, she is a PhD student in En-gineering Education at School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Technological University Dublin, Ireland. Her research interests lie in the fields of engineering edu-cation, development and standardisation of learning technology, spatial abilities and gender issue.

Laura Montanaro, Dept. of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Laura Montanaro is a full professor since 2000 at the Department of Applied Science and Technology of the Politecnico di Torino. She has been Deputy Rector from 2012 to 2016, and Head of the Doctoral School in the period 2011-2012 at Politecnico di Torino. She was also responsible for quality assurance in internal teaching organization. She is now Rector's delegate for Strategic Assessments.

Anita Tabacco, Dept. of Mathematical Sciences `G.L. Lagrange', Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Anita Tabacco is a full professor since 2002 at the Department of Mathematical Sciences of the Politecnico di Torino. She has been Vice Rector for teaching from 2012 to 2018, and Vice Rector for recruitment from 2008 to 2012. She was also responsible for quality assurance in internal teaching organization. She is currently one of the coordinators of the program `La Ricerca della Qualità - Percorso per i Giovani Talenti'.

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Published

2019-06-11

How to Cite

Ballatore, M. G., Montanaro, L., & Tabacco, A. (2019). Empowering Talented Students: An Italian Experience of an Enriched Curriculum in Engineering. International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (iJEP), 9(3), pp. 56–75. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v9i3.10140

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Papers