The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) has taken an active role in the kick-off meeting of the European project DIVE (DIVE into Learning: Inclusive STEAM Education through Low-Cost Underwater Robots), held at the Science and Technology Park of the University of Girona (UdG). This in-person meeting marks the beginning of a three-year initiative, funded by the Erasmus+ programme, which aims to enhance technical education across Europe and ensure that marine science and technology continue to serve as tools for social transformation.
The main objective of the DIVE project is to transform STEM education through the development of an innovative curriculum focused on the design and construction of low-cost underwater vehicles. Led by the University of Girona (UdG) through the UdiGitalEdu research group, this initiative brings together an expert consortium from Spain, Greece and Portugal, with PLOCAN playing a key role as a technical partner. As a distinctive added value, the project-based learning methodology is designed to foster the social inclusion of young people from multicultural backgrounds and minority groups, integrating equity as a cornerstone of technological progress.
During the meeting, PLOCAN led the presentation of Work Package 5 (WP5), focused on the Dissemination and Sustainability Strategy. As leaders of this work package, the PLOCAN team outlined a roadmap to ensure that project outcomes—such as the new STEAM curriculum and lesson plans—reach more than 4,000 students and 260 teachers across Europe.
In addition, PLOCAN co-presented, together with the UdG, a session on the project’s core Capacity Building principles. This session highlighted the importance of a pedagogy grounded in constructionism and the maker movement, where students not only operate technology but also design and build it using affordable and recycled materials, thereby promoting the circular economy and ocean literacy.
One of the highlights of PLOCAN’s participation took place at CIRS (Centre for Research in Underwater Robotics), where the consortium demonstrated to participants how to conduct a practical workshop on designing and building a low-cost underwater robot. During this session, PLOCAN shared over a decade of accumulated experience through the EDUROVs initiative, which has involved more than 16,000 students and trained nearly 1,200 teachers. The project has engaged almost 700 educational institutions over its 13 editions, during which students have built around 2,000 prototypes of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
PLOCAN’s participation in DIVE reinforces its commitment to excellence in STEM and educational equity. “We are not only building robots; we are building a European network of trained educators capable of inspiring future generations, using technology as a driver of change,” said José Gil, PLOCAN technologist, during the event.
El proyecto DIVE (DIVE into Learning: Inclusive STEAM Education through Low-Cost Underwater Robots), con una duración prevista de 36 meses, es una asociación de cooperación en el ámbito de la educación escolar (KA220-SCH) cofinanciada por el programa Erasmus+ de la Unión Europea.
