Abstract:

Teaching energy-related subjects in engineering programmes often involves a high theoretical load, which can reduce student motivation and active participation, making it difficult to visualise their practical application in real industrial contexts. The current scenario of energy transition and decarbonization is profoundly transforming the industrial and technological landscape. This situation requires university education to be oriented toward the resolution of real-world problems, in which students learn not only to apply scientific principles but also to interpret the complexity of industrial systems, assess their environmental impact, and make well-founded decisions from technical, economic, and social perspectives.

In this context, this work incorporates a combined methodological strategy based on Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) and Gamification. It is applied to the teaching-learning process in subjects related to fuels taught at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Minas y Energía of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). The project is implemented in a coordinated manner in two subjects of different nature and academic level: Fuel and Combustion Technology, belonging to the third year of the Bachelor’s Degree in Energy Resources, Fuels, and Explosives Engineering, and Biorefineries, belonging to the first year of the Master's Degree in Energy Engineering.

The methodology is structured around technical challenges inspired by real and current problems in the energy sector. In Fuel and Combustion Technology, students analyse a decommissioned coal-fired power plant and design its conversion into an efficient biomass-based cogeneration plant, evaluating technical, energy, environmental, and economic aspects. In the master's degree course, the challenge focuses on analysing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production routes and the conceptual development of a plant based on Alcohol-to-Jet technology.

In both subjects, the challenge is developed through teamwork and divided into several phases that guide students from the initial diagnosis of the problem to the final technical proposal, allowing them to engage with real industrial challenges aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the same time, gamification dynamics are incorporated, such as progress rankings, cumulative scores, and incentives, with the aim of reinforcing motivation, active participation and monitoring of the project's progress.

The implementation of the project involves approximately fifty students and is carried out throughout the semester using a continuous assessment system linked to progress in solving the challenge. The experience allows to evaluate the impact of the methodology on different dimensions of learning, such as student motivation, integration of theoretical knowledge, and perception of the practical applicability of the content. So far, the preliminary results showed that students find this type of work interesting and they see the potential use of their knowledge in the industry, as they have applied concepts from previous subjects and have been structured in groups assigning roles following Belbin methodology.

Overall, the expected positive results, according to previous literature, will demonstrate the potential of this strategy to reinforce active learning in engineering and facilitate its transfer to other subjects in the field of energy.

Keywords:

Challenge-Based Learning, Gamification, Educational innovation, Engineering.