New project! TecNM and TSJ en Línea, toguether!!

Creating the future of online engineering programs at TecNM: A unique pedagogical experience!

Hello! Today I want to share with you one of the most exciting experiences I’ve had in my career so far. At TSJ en Línea, we’re working on an amazing project: the design and development of five courses for three engineering programs at Tecnológico Nacional de México Virtual (TecNM), all in an online format. And yes, I’m thrilled to be leading this! (I couldn’t be happier). If you want to know more, you could watch this video, or read this publication.

The TecNM Project: three new online engineering programs

TecNM responded to a request from our president, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum, to create three new online engineering programs aimed at expanding educational offerings in key areas for the country’s development. This project not only aims to diversify student training but also seeks to adapt to the needs of the 21st century, with an entirely virtual approach that ensures quality education.

TSJ en Línea: It’s our turn!

As part of TSJ en Línea, we’ve been tasked with designing five courses for these engineering programs. Here’s what we’re developing:

• Operations Research (Business Management) – 5 credits

• Operations Research (Computer Systems) – 4 credits

• General Physics (Computer Systems) – 5 credits

• Numerical Methods (Computer Systems) – 4 credits

• Electrical Principles and Digital Applications (Computer Systems) – 5 credits

Each of these courses is crucial for the profile of the students who will graduate from these engineering programs, and we’re designing every course with the goal of providing them with a unique, effective, and accessible educational experience.

Phase ZERO: Pedagogical preparation, let the journey begin!

This phase focuses on pedagogical preparation to lay the groundwork that will ensure each course is developed effectively and aligned with TecNM’s objectives and the students’ needs. It’s during this phase that we ensure all pedagogical aspects are clear, that every resource, strategy, and activity is in place. Here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve done so far:

1. Review of TecNM documents: We started by studying the TecNM Educational Model and other guides to understand the institution’s pedagogical structure and ensure that our design aligns with their approach.

2. Training on taxonomies: We worked with Bloom’s and Manzano’s taxonomies to structure the objectives and activities in a way that fosters cognitive skill development in students, ensuring deep learning.

3. Creation of control documents: We designed a detailed work schedule, where each task and deliverable has a clear deadline, allowing us to track progress and stay organized at all times. Also, we created templates for structuring the courses, which make content creation, activities, and assessments much easier and ensure everyone is aligned. These templates are organized into four phases:

   1. Curricular Design,

   2. Instructional Design,

   3. Graphic Design,

   4. Assembly and Testing.

   I want to add that our curricular design template is a document I crafted based on my experience as an instructional designer at various universities (really, I couldn’t be happier). Unlike a traditional text document, it was developed in an Excel sheet—a living document—to keep track of subtopic distribution, experts distribution, the number of graphic resources needed, score distribution, and times allocated for each activity. We’re leveraging Excel’s quantitative capabilities to manage the design’s numerical aspects and resource needs efficiently.

4. Project presentation: Finally, we created an initial project presentation to align all team members, ensure they understood the project, and motivate them to continue this incredible journey.

What has this phase involved?

This phase has meant revisiting many past experiences, managing tight schedules, and conducting a kick-off session where the work resources were ready and released on the same day—and these documents remain living, adapting to the project’s evolving needs. Every task, no matter how small, brings us closer to the goal of designing courses that are not only engaging but also effective, equipping students to tackle future challenges.

It’s truly exciting to be part of such a meaningful project! I’m confident that, with the effort of the entire team, we’ll achieve great things. And this is just the beginning!

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about this process, and don’t hesitate to follow me on this pedagogical journey, which, though challenging, is filled with possibilities and learning for everyone.