/10/$25.00 ©2011 IEEE April 4 - 6, 2011, Amman, Jordan IEEE EDUCON Education Engineering 2011 – Learning Environments and Ecosystems in Engineering Education Session T1A Page 1 When technology prevails and pedagogy survives Isabel S. Carvalho Department of Mechanical Engineering Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa Lisbon, Portugal icarvalho@dem.isel.pt Jorge Z. Fonseca Moonlight Lisbon, Portugal jzozimo@moonlight.pt Abstract— The extensive use of technology in and outside the classroom is integrated in a traditional engineering course that has now fully evolved into a blended learning course. The instructor makes use of a Company developed Learning Management System (LMS) and combines a business training approach with traditional academic teaching. Through the use of tools such as web-conferencing, discussion forums, online quizzes and text messaging the technology is tested and adapted to the course and the students’ needs in such a way that pedagogy is not forgotten and a more dynamic and flexible learning is promoted and integrated with real world automotive industry products and technology. Keywords- online quiz; web-conferencing; collaborative learning; e-assessment; computer-based learning I. INTRODUCTION The paper addresses computer-based learning and assessment in an elective course in a Master Engineering degree. The use of technology for teaching, both in-class and at home, plays an important role and its use is privileged throughout the course. From the outset, and up until a few years ago, the emphasis was set on the technology usage and related contents rather than on pedagogical methods and learning outcomes. From its earliest stages, one author had strong beliefs on active and collaborative teaching and learning methodologies: technology was to be used but carefully integrated in order not to constitute a barrier to learning [1-3]; the other author supported the notion that technology was to be explored and made available to the students, who would have to adapt to it and make the most out of it. Thus, fruitful discussions were frequent between the two authors and often included vigorous debates on the need to balance “technology versus pedagogy”. During recent years the Automotive Technology and Business course has evolved into a fully blended format that adequately balances synchronous and asynchronous teaching as well as stimulates and supports different learning styles and develops non-technical skills. This paper aims at telling a short story that illustrates how two instructors, who do not share the same viewpoint when it comes to using technology, are able to work together by sharing experiences and results allowing them to combine the best of both views. Furthermore, this experience, as stated in [4], illustrates that “Blended learning is not one thing. It comes in many shapes, flavors, and colors”. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE This case study was conducted with students enrolled in the Automotive Technology and Business course as part of their Mechanical Engineering master’s degree at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa during the second semester of the academic years 2007-2010. Relevant information about the course includes: i) It is an elective course; ii) The course entailed 42 teaching hours over 14 weeks; iii) The students met once a week for three hours, and; iv) Both day and evening students attended simultaneously the course. The Automotive Technology and Business course aims to introduce students to ongoing developments in the automotive industry with respect to manufacturing and distribution. Students are to use their knowledge on Thermodynamics and Heat Engines and to become well acquainted with automotive systems (e.g., transmission, steering, braking, suspension systems) and with diagnostic and test procedures. Furthermore, students will get to understand the automotive market, the logistics and after-sales issues at National and International levels. The course resources include the instructor’s technical guide and a collection of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) videos and other multi-media materials. III. DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY The technologies made available to students, which are being used for blended and fully online training in various areas (technical, commercial, sales), are described below in brief: The Learning Management System used (TA ® – Training and Administration) is a corporate development tool that integrates online vocational training and training management for competences development in several business markets including the Automotive Business. It is a multi-language application, depending on the login for each user, and allows simultaneous access by different users from anywhere in the