Abstract:

Driven by the need to foster ecological awareness and technological literacy among citizens, the Community Oriented Technology (TOC—Tecnologia Orientada a la Comunitat) research group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) has developed a vertical aeroponic garden system. This tool aims to integrate the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) paradigm within urban school environments, overcoming the physical and soil limitations often encountered in traditional educational centers.

The study employs a qualitative research methodology centered on a focus group held on November 24, 2025, in Vilanova i la Geltrú. This co-creation session involved 19 specialists: 2 primary school teachers, 10 secondary and high school teachers from various scientific and technological fields, a technician from Training and Insertion Programs (PFI—Programes de Formació i Inserció) specialized in special educational needs, an expert from the Garraf Pedagogical Resource Center (CRP—Centre de Recursos Pedagògics), and 5 UPC researchers. The session was structured into four distinct phases: technical presentation, discussion of previous experiences, brainstorming for educational projects, and the definition of requirements for real-world classroom implementation.

Results regarding the technical implementation highlight the significant potential of the "Maker Culture." Students move beyond passive observation to construct the structure from the ground up: assembling the wooden frame, installing PVC pipes with 24 cultivation points, and configuring the irrigation system. In the electronics domain, open-source boards and industrial sensors (temperature, humidity, pH, and water level) are utilized and connected via the Internet of Things (IoT) for remote monitoring. The qualitative analysis of the participants' contributions identifies the high intrinsic student motivation, the practical application of scientific concepts, and curricular transversality as primary strengths. However, significant logistical challenges were identified, including the need for a stable point of reference at each school to oversee maintenance, the requirement to protect electrical systems from unauthorized handling, and the difficulty of sustaining the plant life cycle during holiday periods.

The study's conclusions underscore that teacher self-efficacy is a determining factor for the project's success, needing ongoing university support. As a proposed improvement, the study advocates for a modular "pedagogical suitcase" design to facilitate the transport and temporary management of the resource. Ultimately, the aeroponic garden is established as a comprehensive learning tool that bridges technology and ecological awareness, fostering an inclusive, competency-based education prepared for 21st-century challenges.

Keywords:

Education, Aeroponics, STEAM, Sustainability, Technology, Transversality, Modular, Sensors, Cultivation, Irrigation.