The Flow of Knowledge and Level of Satisfaction in Engineering Courses Based on Students’ Perceptions

In this chapter, the results of a questionnaire are analyzed to assess engineering students’ satisfaction toward their courses, working conditions, and academic environment, as well as the flow of knowledge perception along the first three curricular years. With a sample of 654 students from four higher education institutions and two countries, the study focused in eleven items, concerning teachers’ involvement perception, student–teacher interaction, course organization, and functioning, and overall satisfaction. Several research hypotheses were considered, and significant correlations were investigated. Results show that students, in average, are satisfied with the course and with student–teacher interaction, but perceive that teachers do not contextualize the contents in a professional perspective. The flow of knowledge is neither clearly understood. Two positive significant correlations exist between: students’ overall satisfaction and their expectations; the way students assess their interaction with teachers and the way they assess teachers’ involvement. No significant differences were found between the two countries.