Pedagogical practices focused on active student participation were at the heart of the 1st edition (2025) of the Universidade de Lisboa (ULisboa) Pedagogical Innovation Award, which recognised two initiatives from Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. The award recognises impactful teaching practices in higher education and offers financial support of €5,000 for teaching activities.
Luísa Coheur, a professor at Técnico and researcher at Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores – Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Lisboa (INESC-ID), was the winner of the award, which recognises the merit of professors and researchers who have distinguished themselves through the “consistent, thoughtful and well-founded teaching practices”. In the same edition, António Alves de Campos, a professor at Técnico and researcher at Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente (CERENA), was awarded an honourable mention.
The distinguished practice was based on the implementation of “Active Review” moments, framed within “Active Learning” methodologies, in the theoretical classes of the “Logic for Programming” curricular unit taught in the 1st year of the Undergraduate Programme in Computer Science and Engineering at Técnico. The practice features a series of online challenges presented in the format of an “Escape Room” game, organised into seven episodes with a “horror” narrative that unfolds throughout the semester. In each class, “students face a challenge related to the subject taught just minutes before. Successfully solving this challenge allows them to move on to the next episode, with feedback provided afterwards”, explains Luísa Coheur.
“Students should not be mere spectators in a class and, in our opinion, moments of ‘Active Learning’, which place the student at the centre of the learning experience, are crucial”, says the professor. The initiative, developed in collaboration with Inês Lynce, also a professor at Técnico, from 2024 onwards, seeks to increase knowledge retention through the practical application of content. “Overall, we offer students an educational and playful experience that encourages learning by doing”, she adds.
António Alves de Campos has seen recognition for five pedagogical practices implemented within the “Product Development and Entrepreneurship” curricular unit taught in the Master’s Programme in Engineering and Management of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Técnico, based on continuous assessment of projects. The practices focused on the assessment model, team formation, the link between theory and practice, and strengthening the connection to the business context. Their implementation also involved the participation of the Técnico professor Elsa Henriques.
The creation of a fully equipped “Rapid Prototyping Laboratory” stands out among the practices, which allows students to develop functional prototypes within the scope of the curricular unit. The “assessment model has also been redesigned to be more iterative and formative, featuring a staggered overlap between content delivery and assessment moments, and including the adoption of ‘Authentic Assessment’ principles and the introduction of peer questioning mechanisms during presentations”, explains the professor. Team formation is now based on self-assessment of skills, promoting the creation of multidisciplinary groups.
“The changes were profound and covered all dimensions of learning”, he says. According to the professor, the new model promoted greater student autonomy, improved academic performance and the quality of prototypes developed, as well as a culture of technical debate among peers. António Alves de Campos noted that receiving the honourable mention reflects a commitment to “continuous investment in pedagogical innovation” and reinforces the dedication to maintaining high-quality teaching at Técnico.
