Engineering design, complexity in its teaching

Abstract

The trend toward increasing the design component in engineering curricula is part of an effort to better prepare graduates for engineering practice. The objective of the article is to review and contrast some methodological strategies of engineering design teaching at the university level to analyze the psychological theories in teaching practice and the temporal location of these courses within 5 years of the program. The results of the bibliographic review made allowed us to infer psychological postures, preferably cognitive and constructivist, and the location of design courses in the first semesters of engineering curricula. However, engineering design courses are recommended throughout the degree (taking as a reference some results of the Saber PRO tests) in which students participate in applied projects, and get closer to the industry, as more favorable strategies for the adaptation of future engineers to the particular demands of the national productive sector.