Electricity and Magnetism: from Theory to Laboratory, from Laboratory to Project

Abstract

This work presents a classroom experience in the teaching-learning process of an Electricity and Magnetism course in a common Engineering plan. The objective of this project is to analyze the experience of including Project Based Learning in the course curriculum.  The proposal was implemented in the topic of direct current circuits, where they had to design and build environmental monitoring stations based on the popular Arduino UNO board. The methodology was carried out through workshops, time management, and the construction of a prototype to monitor humidity and temperature autonomously in real time. The results show progress in conceptual management, appreciation of collaborative work, and motivation to transfer knowledge to a real context. It is concluded that observing the theoretical formalism of the physics course and laboratory is an aspect that is not identifiable by an important part of the students, but it is identified that the laboratory sessions and the aspects developed, both disciplinary and training in a project, are strongly linked and allow the contextualization of knowledge, an important issue for the training of future engineers.