Training Freshmen Engineers as Managers to Develop Soft Skills: A Person-Centred Approach

Rosa-María Rodríguez-Jiménez, Pedro J. Lara-Bercial and María-José Terrón-López
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Rosa-María Rodríguez-Jiménez: Science, Computation and Technology Department, School of Architecture, Engineering and Design, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain
Pedro J. Lara-Bercial: Science, Computation and Technology Department, School of Architecture, Engineering and Design, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain
María-José Terrón-López: Aerospace and Industrial Engineering Department, School of Architecture, Engineering and Design, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: This article describes a subject design to train engineer students in soft skills through an experiential and person-centred approach, as is usually developed in companies for managers to incorporate responsible and ethical engineering perspectives. This design is based on an experiential methodology and its impact on students is presented. The subject, called “Personal and Professional Effectiveness”, was designed and developed based on Covey’s classic book “The 7 habits of highly effective people” and introduces ethical and social commitment among other contents. A detailed description of different activities carried out within the module is provided to allow replication. Students’ perception, gathered from their reflexive diaries, and academic satisfaction survey results are presented. Students report that this teaching method leads to a deeper connection with themselves and increased awareness of their strengths and weaknesses. Students seem to have understood the importance of sustainability and how individual behavior impacts in an engineering team. They reflect on how being aware of their own strengths and difficulties helps them integrate different knowledge into their daily lives and how this can improve their behaviors, not only professionally, but also personally.

Keywords: experiential learning; freshmen; 7 habits; soft skills; personal & professional development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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