Celaya, Gto., August 15, 2019.- Dr. Alessandra Acroccaro, from the Ca'Foscari Venezia University in Italy, shared with teaching staff from the Celaya-Salvatierra Campus the methodology and strategies to implement in the classroom a learning model based on the creative participation of the student and thereby promote learning in multidisciplinary teams.

This is the Teaching Training Program Workshop: Active Learning and Teaching, which has been implementing for 4 years with Italian students, a workshop that aims to promote work in multidisciplinary teams to promote the culture of entrepreneurship, sustainability, innovation and the design of new learning models. "We're not looking for the best, but the best of those who can work as a team," says Dr. Alessandra.

Dr. Alessandra showed participants the strategies to integrate teams involving teachers and students from different scientific disciplines, and thus promote a process of developing original projects through the implementation of methods like Design thinking, Lean startup or Business model Canvas. Another peculiarity, is the integration of the teacher as an "equal" within the team, working alongside the students and thus eliminating the dogma of the teacher as possessor of the knowledge and students as passive consumers of it.

She explained each step of the model for project development, which begins with a brainstorm between individuals with different professional approaches, which allows to broaden the landscape of the problem that is desired to be addressed. Teams can choose whether to focus their project on the business area or social area; if they can assess the impact generated by their application.

As part of the instructional dynamics, she asked the workshop participants to generate a value proposition, which must be reflected in the design of a product or service that can modify the conditions of the problem with which it has decided to work; proposal to accompany the marketing plan, the business plan and the communication plan, among other elements.

Dr. Acroccaro, shared her experiences in the implementation of this methodology in students, through which has achieved the construction of solid networks of work, in which students, universities and companies or associations are integrated the case. Following this guideline, participant selection prioritizes individuals who show better teamwork skills over the qualifications they may have.

Experience is the main reward obtained by participants, in addition to the product they generate, as they can engage in real situations in their environment and share views with people from other areas.

The specialist underlined the need to bring the University and its learning processes towards a real link with the environment and teachers and students towards the development and implementation of novel strategies that respond creatively to the change in our lifestyle, where new technologies play a predominant role.

This workshop is organized by Dr. Miriam Reyes Tovar, Director of the Department of Cultural, Demographic and Political Studies of the Division of Social and Administrative Sciences and will last for three days.

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