In the current process of convergence of European Degrees, it is becoming more and more important to develop new tools that may help the students to achieve the acquisition of capabilities, to develop indicators to measure the performance of these capabilities and to achieve, through innovative ways and activities, an increase of the student motivation in their acquisition.
In the case of Spain, within the frame of the convergence to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the capabilities have been established, for each Degree, in the Degree White Books. Each one has been elaborated by a network of Spanish Universities, supported by the Spanish National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA). They have the explicit purpose of developing studies and practical cases that will be useful in the design of EHEA adapted degrees.
With this purpose in mind, this piece of work analyses the application to the company field of experience based learning. To be more specific, it aims at an in depth study of the application of Outdoor Training (OT) as an innovative teaching methodology. The OT methodology puts forward the launching of attractive and motivating activities in the environment, besides of an analysis in a way that will reinforce certain conducts and attitudes.
In order for these activities to be successful, the physical, intellectual and emotional implication of the students is required, along with the use of their own resources (skills, creativity, team work, etc.) to overcome the challenges proposed. Furthermore, it is necessary that, subsequent to the activity, a reflexion process is carried out to revise and conceptualize every conduct both individual and group. This way, a link between academic and work-related activity may be established, and the participants will find a sense to all that they have experienced, acknowledging that it has multiple connexions and applications in their daily life. The last step is the adoption of new, more efficient and adequate conducts.
At present, establishing a teaching system centred on the development of capabilities, poses several difficulties. The aim of this study is to develop and apply, within a specific study field, different activities within the OT methodology, in order to obtain their integration in the teaching of specific subjects; and moreover, to evaluate and try to solve the difficulties arising from this process.
This work is structured as follows. The first part of the introduction goes over activities and teaching innovation projects within the related Experience Based Learning and OT fields. Subsequently, there is an identification of the capabilities for the Management area, as regards the future Degree on Business Administration and Management, which can be improved by the students through these methodologies. The third part of the work develops a system of indicators and evaluation methods for the selected capabilities.
Finally, the activities, indicators, and evaluation systems proposed are analyzed, and a revision - modification process is undertaken in order to adapt them to the achievement of the capabilities. We propose specific activities in order to work on these skills in the studied area. Finally we set out the implications of this project in the teaching of the Degree on Business Administration and Management, and other teaching innovation projects, both linked and unlinked to the Business Management Area.