The onshore facilities of the Oceanic Platform Consortium of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) hosted the exhibition of the prototypes developed in the 12th edition of the Educational Marine Robotics Workshop (EDUROVs), in which seventeen schools in the Canary Islands took part.
Eighty students from 10 secondary schools, 3 from Fuerteventura: IES Gran Tarajal, IES Vigán, IES La Oliva, 3 from Gran Canaria: IES José Arencibia Gil, IES Noroeste, IES Poeta Tomás Morales Castellano and 4 from Tenerife: IES El Tanque, IES Ichasagua, CEO Guajara and IES Granadilla de Abona, have attended the final meeting to show the prototypes they have been working on during the course.
The prototype exhibition was attended by the Councillor for Environment, Climate, Energy and Knowledge of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Raúl García Brink, the Head of Service of the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society, Rafael Ferrando, the coordinator of the STEAM area of the Innovation Service of the Directorate General for the Organisation of Education, Inclusion and Innovation of the Department of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ana Sánchez, and the director of PLOCAN, José Joaquín Hernández Brito.
In this edition of the project, a simulation phase has been introduced, in which, using a free tool, it has been possible to test the electronic circuit and the programming before assembly. This has made it possible to design and test the circuits without the need for physical components, avoiding possible damage to the real components. In addition, it has provided students with a tool to experiment at home at no cost.
This year, PLOCAN’s EDUROVs Educational Marine Robotics initiative has incorporated nine hours of teacher training as well as new technological elements and tools suitable for different educational levels through a project-based learning methodology. Hardware and software programming platforms are used and 3D printing is promoted in the robots created. It is also considered a greater integration to education and scientific-technical vocation of girls and young people.
The main aim of the EDUROVs initiative is to stimulate young people’s vocations towards technical and scientific disciplines through the construction of prototypes in schools, encouraging young students to learn about underwater robotics in a practical way, with the aim of awakening motivation, vocation and interest in science and technology, as well as knowledge of the ocean.
During the meeting, a diorama of the offshore platform was shown. Agueda Inés Pérez Pulido, one of its creators, explained to the attendees how she uses this type of elements to awaken interest in science, demonstrating what is done in our environment, and valuing the toy as a pedagogical tool.
The EDUROVs project is carried out with the collaboration of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the Area for the Promotion of Scientific Vocations and Creativity (STEAM) of the Directorate General for Organisation, Innovation and Quality of the CEUCD of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
An important component of the EDUROVs Workshop is to encourage students’ imagination so that they take into account that remotely operated marine robots (ROVs, Remotely Operated Vehicles) must respect the marine environment in all its aspects and encourage teamwork, respecting values and promoting creativity.
