International Conference on Engineering Education – ICEE-99. Anais- CD Rom. República Checa, 1999.

Development and application of an integrative educational methodology derived from object oriented paradigm for entry level courses of engineering and computer science

DE OLIVEIRA, Clara Amelia

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC

CTC - INE

Abstract: The present paper discusses about essential aspects, that are related with new trends on Education, performed on Entry Level Computer Science and Engineering Courses. This reflection concerns to high level hierarchy concepts, on XX Century Education. First of all, it is developed a historical perspective of teaching/learning context. There are described pedagogical experiences applied on Introductory Disciplines on Computer Programming, over the last three decades. Each one emphasized one kind of Educational Paradigm of Knowledge Modeling. From this analysis, it can be extracted some interesting global aspects of evolutionary process on Education. From this Educational referred Paradigms, then, emerges the proposal on Integrative Model. This one is able to support methodologies that can be direct derived from natural laws, through high abstraction philosophical references on representational knowledge modeling. The Sequential (Task Oriented), Sequential – Structured (Organizational - Modular Oriented) and Integrative - Reusable (Project, or even Object, Oriented) Paradigms are described. There is suggested, as a pointer to future, the reorientation of values derived from the Paradox between Reusability – Harmony.

There is also proposed some definitions as Ecological System Vision, and, the evolution of the nowadays concept of Vertical and Horizontal Knowledge Integration. This points to new possibilities for teachers and members of the Education Process.

Following this, it is presented the basic steps to think about an Integrative Educational Methodology. They are derived from the three abstract operation normally used on Object Oriented Software Engineering Modeling. The Classification – Instantiation , Hierarchy of Classes and Whole – Parts Structure are then related to steps on Educational Modeling Methodology. It is showed that Object Oriented Development, Project Oriented or either, Problem Oriented Development are, at the end, keeping the same vision. After the presentation of the basic steps of the methodology, close related with the described natural laws, it is reached a new concept about Methodology Evaluation, an evolution of the today ´s one. Conclusions are given and it is suggested, for future reflections, an up – grade from Integrative Paradigm of Knowledge discussion, from Disciplines Level to the whole Course Curriculum Level. So, each Course, contemplating diversity, due to specific cultural contexts is invited to work about, creative way, to define its projects, in number, hence its life cycle, concerning to implementations of operational aspects.

Keywords: education, modeling ,integrative, methodology nature.