GUEST EDITORIAL: SPECIAL ISSUE FOR THE 8º CONGRESO NACIONAL DE INGENIERÍA TERMODINÁMICA-8 CNIT-2013 (THE 8TH NATIONAL CONGRESS OF ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS)

As Chairs of the Organizing Commitee of the 8th Natonal Conference of Engineering Thermodynamics 8CNIT- 2013 (8º Congreso Nacional de Ingeniería Termodinámica 2013, 8CNIT), we want to acknowledge the Editorial Board of the Journal of Technology and Science Educaton (JOTSE) for publishing this special issue on Innovatons in Educaton in Engineering Thermodynamics. The 8CNIT-2013 was hosted by the University of Burgos (Spain) by 19-21 June 2013. It was the 8th editon of a series that started in 1999, and now the CNIT series has become a regular research + development conference in Spain. Topics of the conference are devoted to engineering thermodynamics in several felds: energy efciency in buildings and the industry, renewable energies, new fuids for engines and processes, energy and exergy analysis, fuels and biofuels, refrigeraton and air-conditoning, simulaton of energy processes, etc. The scientfc level of the conference is quite good, contributons are peer reviewed and proceedings of the conferences are published. Moreover, from the very frst editon in 1999, the conference always includes a secton on educaton in engineering thermodynamics. Innovaton and research contributons on teaching methodologies, new laboratory or multmedia developments, as well as e-learning experiences, are common topics presented at the CNIT conferences. Some of the authors are also regular contributors to engineering educaton journals. As we thought the conference has got a qualifed level in the feld of engineering educaton, we addressed a proposal to the Editorial Board of JOTSE in order to publish a special issue. And the proposal was kindly accepted. A set of 23 papers on educaton in engineering thermodynamics were accepted for the Conference. 28 reviewers of the Scientfc Commitee of the 8CNIT partcipated in the review process. Every paper was peerreviewed by at least two reviewers. The Scientfc Commitee of the 8CNIT has selected 6 papers from the set of educatonal contributons presented at the 8CNIT-2013. The work of Carrillo et al. at the University of Málaga is focused on considering graphics tablet technology for interactve teaching. The paper provides useful informaton and guidance by sharing experiences made using a graphics tablet for lecturing an undergraduate course on Thermal Engineering. At the University of Navarra, Rodríguez-García et al. present a prototype test bench to perform practcal lectures on thermoelectric generaton and refrigeraton. Using this prototype students learn the most efectve way of cooling systems and thermal power generaton as well as basic concepts associated with thermoelectricity. The bench provides students with tools to test and apply the theory in real applicatons, and it leads to a beter understanding of the topic. Carrascal and Sala, at the University of Basque Country, present an innovatve lecturing use of a Ranque-Hilsh vortex tube bench. A compressed air fow is divided into two streams at a lower pressure, one hot and one cold, without thermal interacton with any energy reservoirs, showing experimentally the basis of the First and Second Law of Thermodynamics. A case study of Project Based Learning approach at Master level is presented by Arce et al., at the University of Vigo. The topic Building Energy Efciency is taught by means of such methodology within the Master on Research on Thermal Engineering. The experience can be of value for interested readers in applying this actve learning strategy. The work of González-Fernández et al., at the University of Burgos, deals with the development of teamwork skill as a self-building process of the student. The paper presents the fundamentals of the learning strategy adopted to promote teamwork, describes the context and challenges faced up in the case studies and, fnally, discusses the student’s achievement and percepton. The topics involved in this experience are energy related topics such as electrical installatons, heat transfer, engineering thermodynamics or theory of circuits. Finally, the paper of Sánchez et al., at the University Jaume I, presents the project called CO2LD, which was developed to introduce the future technology in High Degree Vocatonal Training in Refrigeraton. The objectve of the project consisted in introducing more efcient and more sustainable refrigeraton systems, and in creatng a collaboratve framework among students, secondary schools, refrigeraton technicians, refrigeraton companies, and the University in order to facilitate the transfer of know-how. We want fnally to acknowledge Dr. Ana Cadenato (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya), to whom we are very grateful for helping and supportng the 8CNIT-2013 Organizing Commitee to collaborate with JOTSE for this special issue.