Team-based workshop to engage young students in engineering and science: Building and driving a ROV (R2B2). Two special editions in India

Abstract

This work reports the experience gathered along 6 years in developing a team-based project activity to promote engineering programs among secondary school students. The aim of the activity is to increase the interest of students for science and technology in general, but also to promote engineering skills, capabilities and values, leading to attract more secondary school students to enrolment for engineering programs. Simple theoretical concepts related to physics and engineering are illustrated through hands-on experimentation. To achieve this goal, the students build a remotely operated underwater robot in a workshop. The robot is built using low-cost materials and the students customize their own design over the different phases of the workshop. Once the activity is completed, every team understands that with teamwork, effort and a good working strategy, every problem can be overcome. This paper explains in detail the structure and operation of the workshop and introduces a first initiative towards the internationalization of the project, which was carried out in two schools for underprivileged children in South India. Through this initiative in India, the workshop takes a step forward, and in addition to promoting science and technology, it also adds a new dimension of education for global citizenship to the project.