ACTIVE METHODOLOGIES IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION: A PERSPECTIVE ON TEACHING IN FORTALEZA, CEARÁ, BRAZIL

Abstract

This study analyzes the use of active methodologies in Mechanical Engineering education at higher education institutions in Fortaleza, Ceará, based on the perceptions of faculty members working in the field. The research, characterized as descriptive and exploratory, adopted a mixed-methods approach and employed an electronic questionnaire consisting of 20 questions, 14 closed-ended and 6 open-ended. Eighteen professors from five institutions participated, predominantly with bachelor’s degrees as their initial training and more than five years of teaching experience. The results indicate a wide dissemination of knowledge about active methodologies, with Case Study, Problem-Based Learning, and Project-Based Learning standing out as the most frequently employed strategies. Problem-Based Learning was perceived as the methodology associated with the best learning outcomes and the least difficulty in implementation. However, relevant obstacles were identified, such as students’ cultural resistance, weaknesses in teachers’ pedagogical training, and insufficient institutional support. It is concluded that, although active methodologies are already part of the teachers’ didactic repertoire, their effectiveness depends on coordinated actions involving faculty development, student engagement, and favorable institutional conditions in order to align engineering education with contemporary demands.