Cooperative learning in Forestry Engineering with NIPPE Descartes software.

This work describes the methodology, procedure, and results obtained from the application of an education co-operative learning experience with NIPPE Descartes software in a specific task. Students in the second year of a degree course in Forestry Engineering at the Madrid Polytechnic University were invited to take part in a peer-learning experience. The students were organized in pairs and asked to complete an optional task in one of the modules in the subject of Mechanics. This experience took place between 2006 and 2011. The results were compared with the previous period between 2003 and 2006 in which this task was not required. The students were surveyed to assess their degree of satisfaction and the contribution of the experience to the learning of the subject. This methodology was observed to substantially reduce the percentage of students who do not show up for their evaluation exams, and the percentage of pass and fail marks also reveals significant differences. Additionally, of the students who performed the task, the number who passed in the ordinary examination period increased nearly 30% points compared to those who did not. It is worth noting that 43% of the students participating in the experience rated the activity as a fairly or very positive in terms of contributing to learning the subject. (C) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.