New technologies applied to the development of risk prevention competency in engineering

studentsAna María Vivar Quintana

avivar@usal.esDepartment of Construction

and Agronomy

Laura Lavandera Mayollm@usal.es

Ana Belén González Rogadoabgr@usal.es

Department of Automation and Computer Sciences

University of Salamanca - Escuela Politécnica Superior de Zamora. Av. Requejo, 33 - 49022 Zamora (Spain)

OBJECTIVES

The new framework of studies of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) aims to train students to become active participants in their own learning process.

To accomplish this we have transformed the traditional concept of the practical class, which should help to improve students' experiences in the classroom and make it easier for them to learn. In this case we propose the use of mobile technology to motivate the students.

OBJECTIVES

The second aspect that we are currently working on involves making it easier for students to access information quickly and simply so that they can anticipate possible laboratory risks before the practical sessions and prevent them during such sessions.

We have drawn up a series of more visual materials with a much more practical content that they should find easier to assimilate and should be more useful for them during their work.

The information will be made available to the students a few days before the practice sessions begin.

THE PRE-LABORATORY SESSIONS

The guide includes:The cards providing information about the reagents with which the students will be working.

The machinery involved in the practice session and its proper use.

Information about the risk points and safety elements of the laboratory in which the practice sessions will take place and how to identify them and locate them physically in the laboratory.

The GuideExplanation of the practical sesion

Quick Response codes

Enriched images

3D images

Risk maps

Quick Response Codes

Quick Response (QR) Codes are a type of code similar to bar codes but differ from these in that the information presented is two-dimensional.

Their function in the guide focuses on the safe use of laboratory reagents and the risk characteristics and the preventive regulations that must be taken into account when these are handled.

Markers

Enriched ImagesWe have selected the Aumentaty VSearch application. It is an image-recognition tool that allows the association of additional digital content with selected images (texts, videos, .pdf files, location, etc.)

Markers

3D Images3D images allow students to interact with a visual representation of the actual object represented. In the guide we use these images to represent the machines that students will use in the laboratory.

Safety Elements Map

Safety maps can be defined as any informative instrument which by means of descriptive information and suitable markers allows the analysis of risks in a certain area.

Our intention is that with the handling of the risk map they will be able to recognize all points of interest in the laboratory: of risk, of evacuation, or points with safety elements.

Safety Elements Map

1 - Cognoscitive stageIn this stage, the risk factors are analysed before students enter the laboratory so that we can programme preventive action.

2 - Analytical stageThis is the stage in which the interventions to be performed will be established and programmed, taking into account the analysis of the first stage.

Safety Elements Map

Safety Elements Map

3 - Intervention stageDuring this stage, the intervention plans designed are put into practice.In our case we work on the information shown on both maps with the students before starting the practical sessions.

4 - Assessment stageDuring the fourth stage the results of our interventions will be checked.

PRACTICAL SESSIONS

One theoretical session will be devoted to revising the practical guide with the students. Each of the elements of the guide will be explained in detail together with its use during the practical session.

Before the practical sessions are started, the work they will have to carry out and the machinery they will have to use will be explained to them.

The teacher will take part merely as an observer and will allow the students to organize the work in the laboratory.

ELEMENTS FORESEEN FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF THE EXPERIMENT

To obtain information about the students participation and to assess the experiment, we will use a questionnaire addressing satisfaction and an objective test evaluating the knowledge of the students before and after the experiment.

The objective test

The objective test aim:To discern the previous level of knowledge of the students.To obtain an initial measure of the level of preparation in the concepts presented.

The different test items can be grouped in 2 thematic blocks:Identification of Risks First Aid.

Satisfaction test

•Personal work methodology of the students

•The extent of use of the different elements presented in the guide

•The perception of the students about the methodology used

•Student’s perception of the prevention of risks in the laboratory

•General satisfaction with the experience

•Evaluation of the elements contained in the guide to practical sessions according to its usefulness.

To the University of Salamanca, the call for Innovation Projects and the Teaching Improvement

Application of ICT in practical teaching for the performance of safe practices in laboratories (Ref.: ID2014/136)

and to the Fundación Memoria D. Samuel Solorzano Barruso of the University of Salamanca, the 2013 call for Research Aid – Augmented Reality applied to laboratory

safety (Ref.: FS/13-2013), whose financing made this experiment possible.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS