USING PROCESS MODELING AND SIMULATION TO DEVELOP ENGINEERING STUDENTS' PRACTICAL SKILLS

It is a well acknowledged fact that universities have to provide students with the right mix of knowledge, skills and competences necessary to successfully cope with the challenges and complex problems of the workplace. An active learning environment is the most appropriate solution for achieving all these. This study brings into attention one of the educational methods specific for active learning approach: process modeling and simulation. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of this method for enhancing students practical skills. The methodology employed was the case study Results indicated that process modeling and simulation method is especially useful for building and enhancing relevant skills related to the problem-solving process and to the use of technology for modeling complex processes and systems. Teaching methods specific for an active learning approach, like the process modeling and simulation method, represent useful and effective tools that we need to consider and apply in our educational practice.