Abstract:

The aim of this paper was to investigate the potential of Internet of Things (IoT) systems in fostering environmental consciousness among university engineering students. The study was conducted at the ETSIAAB (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) and involved students enrolled in various courses within the Agricultural Engineering Degree program. The research examined the impact of the IoT system on three key dimensions: enhancing students' digital competences, improving IoT skills, and cultivating environmental awareness. Additionally, the study explored the intricacies of bidirectional communication between the IoT system, users, and a Telegram bot, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary engineering. Students were introduced to IoT technology, its architecture, and the typical components integrated into IoT systems. Furthermore, to assess these dimensions, several tests were conducted, collaboratively designed by the course instructors. In summary, the results indicate that the IoT system used in the study positively contributes to improving students' skills. Nevertheless, the observed impact on cultivating environmental awareness appears to be more modest, with responses varying among participants. This underscores the importance of exploring alternative approaches to effectively foster environmental consciousness.

Keywords:

IoT technology, Engineering students, Environmental awareness, Interdisciplinary engineering.