Promoting self-Learning and autonomy with the use of ICT in higher education through projects close to professional practice

Abstract

This paper presents an academic experience about the incorporation and appropriation of various ICT in four courses of the undergraduate program in Information Technologies and Systems of the Metropolitan Autonomous University in Mexico. These courses present students’ situations close to professional practice by performing a specific role to solve problems in a particular area or project. They aim to develop the capabilities of integration and use of knowledge and skills that students have acquired in the curriculum. The paper presents the organization and structure of the courses, their content, ways of conducting and evaluation, as well as some examples of projects that have been supervised by the authors. It also describes in detail the process of conducting a project carried out with students, the ICTs that were incorporated and the possibility of innovation that the teacher has by managing these types of projects. This paper also shows the potential of the courses in the training of students, by promoting autonomy with the use of ICT, involving them in the improvement of their skills for the analysis and use of information, and fostering self-learning through situations and experiences close to their professional practice. Additionally, this experience reinforced students’ critical thinking by promoting the ability to judge different software products, as it allowed them to identify problems and find their solutions, become familiar with programming languages and develop their oral and written communication skills.