Resumen de Interdisciplinary learning: an electronic and computer engineering case study to solve environmental problems
Neusa Maria Franco Oliveira, Roberto d'Amore, Tertuliano Pinto, Ligia Urbina, Wilson Cabral Souza Jr.
Environment and sustainability, and Principles of Economics are subjects present in engineering courses in Brazil. To attract thestudent’s attentions to these subjects and promote entrepreneurship fomenting, an experiment was developed with electronic andcomputer engineering students aiming to use interdisciplinary and project-based learning approach. The students, fifty-six studentsin the first version and fifty-seven in the second one, formed mixed teams, with the goal of developing a prototype and a businessplan to solve a specific environmental problem. During the prototype development, the teams presented technical reviews based insystem engineering approach, which exposes the student to real industrial practices, even though assessed by grades. It was a four-month experience ending with the team presentation to professional experts in evaluating start-ups proposals. The experiment wassuccessfully applied in two academic years with minor adjustments between its first and second versions. The article presents theinterdisciplinary approach of the experiment, the assessment method, and feedback given by the students, instructors and invitedprofessionals.
