Abstract
This study introduces a teamwork approach implemented in the “Treatment of waste and gaseous effluents” curricular unit (CU) within the Mechanical Engineering Master program at the University of Minho. Recognizing the importance of fostering critical thinking and scientific literacy skills, particularly for master dissertation development, this CU included teamwork where students had to prepare a short critical literature review about a separator technology selected by them using some scientific papers. Furthermore, a field visit to a company was organized and a seminar seeking to promote active learning strategies.
To equip students for teamwork, lessons covered effective scientific literature searching, reference management software utilization, and the critical review writing process. Initial feedback from students was obtained through the application of a short questionnaire and the results indicated a positive response to the teamwork activity, with reported improvements in literature search proficiency and critical analysis skills. The collaborative learning environment was appreciated, and students expressed enhanced confidence in evaluating research methodology and forming informed opinions.
