Project “Acércate a la Ingeniería”: Promoting Scientific and Technological Vocation of Secondary Education Students

Abstract

Engineering disciplines support other fields of knowledge to meet interdisciplinary needs, such as contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. That is why the concept of sustainability has become essential to be introduced in early educational levels. In this context, the project “Acércate a la Ingeniería” (Approach Engineering), driven by the Department of Education of the Government of the Canary Islands in collaboration with the Industrial and Civil Engineering School (EIIC) of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), has arisen. Eighteen secondary schools (IES) from five islands have participated on this project. These centres are each associated with one of the following EIIC engineering degrees: Geomatics, Chemical and Industrial Chemistry, and Industrial Design and Product Development. Firstly, students attend an introductory activity in their IES along with teachers and collaborators of the EIIC. Secondly, students together with their IES-teachers, develop a project related to the corresponding degree. Finally, each centre gives a presentation at the EIIC, where they share their project. The aim of this project is to prevent the rejection of engineering degrees by students due to lack of information and to arouse interest through workshops related to different engineering degrees. This project, which has allowed student and teacher teamwork, has been an object of study. Special attention has been paid to the initial understanding of concepts such as engineering and sustainability students had.