Abstract:

We are currently in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, the so called industry 4.0, where technological development is a key factor in both industry and society. In addition, we are in a changing global environment, where the events of recent years, such as the COVID’19 pandemic, have accelerated digitalization process. These rapid technological advances require professional profiles with a high capacity for adaptation and versatility.

Integral education methodologies that combine disciplines such as mathematics, technology and arts contribute to the development of applied knowledge, transversal competences, and flexible profiles. Although benefits of the integration of education disciplines and STEAM approaches are well known, it is not easy to put it into practice in the classroom. To bring them into the real world, motivational didactic proposals are needed, preferably with topics that are contemporary and that engage the students.

To contribute to this necessary approach, this work presents the design of a didactic unit that integrates the areas of mathematics, technology and plastic, visual and audiovisual education, all within the framework of values that promote respect, solidarity, companionship and non-violence. The proposed challenge is to bring humanitarian aid to the cities of Kiev and Mariupol (Ukraine) by robotic vehicles. Students should plan how to take that help to those places using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). They start from scratch, so the first step is to design and customize the aerial vehicle, building a prototype with a 3D printing so that the airplane is not detected. Then, they have the aerial route to be followed by the aircraft and define the strategy to avoid obstacles. They have to implement the simulation model of the UAV and design controllers to make the aircraft to follow the defined route. In addition, a ground vehicle to carry the goods from the airport to the main cities has to be considered.

It is planned as a micro-project, which requires team work and different profiles. To maximize the impact of the proposal, it has been structured based on learning objectives, key contents, key competences, a time scheduling, and an evaluation procedure.

Keywords:

Didactic proposal, STEM, robotics, motivation.