Gamification methods adapt the mechanics of games to educational environments for the improvement of the teaching-learning process. Serious games play an important role as tools for gamification, in particular in the context of software engineering courses because of the idiosyncratic nature of the topic. However, the studies on the improvement of student performance resulting from the use of gamification and serious games in courses with different contexts are not conclusive. More empirical research is thus needed to obtain reliable results on the effectiveness, benefits and drawbacks. The overall objective of this work is to study the benefits generated by serious games in the teaching-learning process of Computer Engineering degrees, analyzing the impact on the motivation and student satisfaction, as well as on the learning outcomes and results finally achieved. To this end, an intervention is proposed in the subject of Computer Architecture based on two components covering theoretical and practical sessions. In the theoretical sessions, a serious game experience using Kahoot has been introduced, complementing the master classes and class exercises. For the practical sessions, the development of projects with groups of students has been proposed, whose results in terms of computer performance can be compared through a competition (hackathon). Evaluation of the serious game-based intervention has been approached in terms of student satisfaction and motivation, as well as improved academic performance. In order to assess student satisfaction, surveys have been used to assess the effect on student motivation and satisfaction. For the evaluation of academic performance, a comparative analysis between an experimental and a control group has been carried out, noting a slight increase in the experimental group students’ marks.

Educational models are incorporating methodologies to train students in teamwork skills in response to companies’ information technology (IT) requirements. Conflict management is key to effective teamwork. This paper proposes a method to improve students’ organisation, teamwork and conflict management skills. This method consists of a brief training on leadership and management styles, with minimal extra work, followed by the signing of team contracts that outline group rules, promoting the assumption of responsibilities. The experimental results showed that this method reduced conflict rates, improved group communication and indirectly improved satisfaction, responsibility and motivation in work groups. Consequently, students’ overall academic performance improved, both as a group and as individuals.

We report generation of continuous-wave yellow laser radiation in a Nd³⁺-doped periodically poled lithium niobate bulk crystal. Simultaneous oscillation in pi polarization of the two infrared laser channels ⁴F_3/2 rarr⁴I_11/2 and ⁴F_3/2 rarr⁴I_13/2 of Nd³⁺ is achieved at 1084.4 and 1373.6 nm by end pumping with a Ti:Sapphire laser. Intracavity quasiphase-matched self-sum- frequency-mixing of both infrared laser waves in the poled crystal leads to the generation of yellow laser light at 606 nm. The yellow laser power obtained is 15.6 mW from an absorbed pump power of 314 in W.

We report a dual-wavelength continuous-wave laser at 542.4 and $546.8\mathrm{nm}$ based on an ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}$-doped aperiodically poled lithium niobate crystal. Two fundamental infrared (IR) wavelengths at 1084.8 and $1093.6\mathrm{nm}$ are simultaneously oscillated and self-frequency-doubled to green. The aperiodic domain distribution patterned in the crystal allows for quasi-phase matched self-frequency-doubling of both IR fundamentals while avoiding their sum-frequency mixing.

We present an image upconversion system based on intracavity Type II second-harmonic generation to create an image in the visible spectrum of a target illuminated by an infrared laser. The system has the novelty of being self-illuminated. It uses some fractional leaking power of the infrared laser to illuminate a target located in the object focal plane of the system, and to couple back a created infrared target image to an intracavity nonlinear crystal, where it mixes with the cavity laser beam to obtain a second-harmonic image, visible with a silicon CCD camera. For a proof of concept, we have built a system based on a diode-pumped ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}\text{:}{\mathrm{YVO}}_4$ continuous-wave (cw) laser and an intracavity KTP crystal to upconvert 1342 nm target images to 671 nm. The upconverted cw power allowed us to capture real-time video in a standard nonintensified CCD camera, with 2.5 W of a diode pump.