Theory-practice interaction in engineering teaching: Pedagogical experience in the "Management and Treatment of Effluents" course from chemical engineering program

Over the years, higher education has been the subject of intense debate and discussion, as the traditional teaching approach, based on theoretical knowledge, concepts and information is no longer sufficient. In chemical engineering courses, this practice is no different, but with the dynamics of the current world and the increasingly competitive job market, it is essential to train professionals with creative, multidisciplinary skills, able to develop reflective thinking. Thus, the crucial challenge in terms of teaching quality in engineering is based on identifying ways to encompass the social and technological changes in the current world in the manner of teaching. An excellent alternative is to increase students' contact with the practice since it allows the execution of theoretical concepts. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to present the importance and positivity of pedagogical experience that occurred with the theory-practice integration implemented in the “Management and Treatment of Effluents” class from Chemical Engineering program at the UNILA, Brazil. A practical activity was developed where students, under the professor's supervision, developed a project of a water treatment plant, after conducting expository classes and technical visits in industries that have wastewater treatment. Once the project was concluded, a survey was sent to the students to gather opinions regarding the activities carried out. From authors and students, this sort of activity represents an interesting tool in the teaching/learning process, since it stimulated the development of some multidisciplinary skills besides the students' motivation in the program.