Plenary: Real-Time Transformation of the freshmen Mathematics Engineering Courses during COVID-19 Outbreak

ABSTRACT

Due to the circumstances associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the academic year 2020 represented a challenge for engineering education around the world. In Guatemala, the first case of COVID-19 was reported on Friday, March 13, 2020, and as a consequence, all higher-level educational institutions were closed. Before the pandemic, in Universidad Galileo, all of the different engineering mathematics courses were taught traditionally following a face-to-face format. As a result, the pandemics' challenge consists of, not only the fact of having to transform the teaching and learning format but also in making the transition in the shortest amount of time possible. During the pandemic, the class sessions continued with the schedule established at the beginning of the semester, but with the help of video conferencing tools. It is important to mention that we used a set of distance teaching tools and techniques that help us fulfilling the main objective of the course students' learning while enhancing their motivation. A test designed specifically for the pandemic situation was used to measure the students' motivation. Such a test includes sub-scales associated with the students' feelings about the current situation and it also assesses the course structure, flexibility, and content delivery in the virtual format. In this plenary, we present our experience and the main lessons learned from such a transition from traditional to virtual teaching.