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The training course at the AUTH was one of the first to start and consequently to finish. Lectures began in November 2010 and lasted until the end of December. During January and February, students along with professors and engineers engaged into the 2nd level audit analysis of 2 AUTH buildings. A total of 60 students enrolled that attended the entire training course. Out of them 10 were enrolled as back-ups in case one or more of the main list withdrew. At the end of the lectures, the students formed 12 groups of 5 students each, in order to perform the 2nd level audit analysis and prepare and present a detailed study for one University building. During the process some groups withdrew for different reasons, however at the end 8 groups presenting their work to a committee consisting of 3 professors and 2 professional engineers.
Since it was our intention to have the training course evaluated by the students who attended, a questionnaire was constructed and distributed to the students at the end of the training course, which had to be delivered at the day of their official presentation of their projects.
A total of 39 students filled in the questionnaire, out of which 28 were male and 11 female. The majority of them were in their 4th and 5th year of studies (61%), while only 6% had previous experience in international exchange programs like Erasmus, IAESTE or BEST.
For the evaluation of the responses, we used a 5 Lickert scale. The following presents the most interesting results:
Research question 1: To what extent the content of the curriculum 'Use Efficiency' helps to increase students’ awareness on energy saving?
A total of 6 questions were asked aiming to evaluate the above topic. In general the overwhelming majority of the student answers fell into the 2 best positive categories, which means that the goal of increasing student awareness in energy matters through the training courses has been successfully met.
|
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VERY
MUCH
|
ENOUGH
|
MODERATE
|
LITTLE
|
VERY
LITTLE
|
|
1
|
Does the training program 'Use Efficiency' provide valuable and substantial knowledge regarding energy saving in buildings?
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33,33%
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64,10%
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2,56%
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0,00%
|
0,00%
|
|
2
|
Does the training course deal with matters of your interest?
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46,15%
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48,72%
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5,13%
|
0,00%
|
0,00%
|
|
3
|
Can students easily understand the subject of the training course?
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30,77%
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56,41%
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12,82%
|
0,00%
|
0,00%
|
|
4
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Does the training course help to familiarize with the concept of energy saving in buildings and to raise awareness of its value?
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58,97%
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33,33%
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7,69%
|
0,00%
|
0,00%
|
|
5
|
Does the training course help you to understand that you are going to approach social and environmental issues?
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30,77%
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43,59%
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17,95%
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5,13%
|
2,56%
|
|
6
|
As part of the educational program did your interest in issues related to energy conservation increase?
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41,03%
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51,28%
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2,56%
|
5,13%
|
0,00%
|
|
7
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Will you continue to participate actively in such matters?
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48,72%
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35,90%
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12,82%
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2,56%
|
0,00%
|
|
8
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Will you continue to be informed on such matters?
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53,85%
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38,46%
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7,69%
|
0,00%
|
0,00%
|
|
9
|
Did you acquire knowledge in different scientific subjects (eg architecture, engineering, etc.)?
|
12,82%
|
46,15%
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30,77%
|
7,69%
|
2,56%
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Research question 2: To what extent you are satisfied with the training course?
A set of 10 questions were asked here. The responses show that most students were satisfied by the training course, and only 10% chosen the last two options in general.
|
|
VERY
MUCH
|
ENOUGH
|
MODERATE
|
LITTLE
|
VERY
LITTLE
|
|
1
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Have you found sufficient the information presented during the training course, in order to run an energy audit?
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10,26%
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56,41%
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23,08%
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10,26%
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0,00%
|
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2
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Was the bibliographic information detailed?
|
10,26%
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51,28%
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28,21%
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7,69%
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2,56%
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|
3
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The curriculum sets out proposals for
use of multiple sources of information?
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7,69%
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58,97%
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25,64%
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7,69%
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0,00%
|
|
4
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The curriculum leads students to foster cognitive skills and interpretive strategies
(e.g. the student to learn how to learn)
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30,77%
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38,46%
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20,51%
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10,26%
|
0,00%
|
|
5
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Whether you believe that the training course provides the opportunity to learn about different views on the subject?
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12,82%
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43,59%
|
33,33%
|
10,26%
|
0,00%
|
|
6
|
Did you find the project useful for your
professional carrier?
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35,90%
|
53,85%
|
10,26%
|
0,00%
|
0,00%
|
|
7
|
To what extent has the final project helped
you to understand better the subject of the program?
|
58,97%
|
30,77%
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7,69%
|
2,56%
|
0,00%
|
|
8
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Do you consider that the program 'Use Efficiency' with the used method, made it easier to get familiar with the subject of saving energy?
|
20,51%
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58,97%
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20,51%
|
0,00%
|
0,00%
|
|
9
|
Do you believe that this rapid learning
process benefited you more than the standard procedure followed in semester courses?
|
17,95%
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23,08%
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46,15%
|
7,69%
|
5,13%
|
|
10
|
Do you believe that the program helped
you to enrich your research and technical skills?
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25,64%
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56,41%
|
12,82%
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5,13%
|
0,00%
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Research question 3: Exploring the students’ attitude about the simultaneous conduction of seminars in 8 universities and the international approach of EU project?
With the following questions we aimed to record the students’ thoughts about participating in an EU project that essentially has a multinational approach. However, as the results show, the fact that not all training courses started simultaneously as was announced, didn’t allow our students to realize this aspect and did not promote the students communication.
|
|
|
VERY
MUCH
|
ENOUGH
|
MODERATE
|
LITTLE
|
VERY
LITTLE
|
|
1
|
Did the contact with students from other countries help you?
|
5,26%
|
10,53%
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36,84%
|
18,42%
|
28,95%
|
|
2
|
Do you believe that the lectures by foreign professors offered / supported the training course?
|
21,05%
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39,47%
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18,42%
|
10,53%
|
10,53%
|
|
3
|
The incentive to participate in a pan-European contest was what led you to participate in the training course and deal more with the issue of energy saving?
|
28,95%
|
42,11%
|
13,16%
|
13,16%
|
2,63%
|
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