Work-in-progress: Engineering and project-based learning as the focus of technology education in Colombian high schools

In the recent years technology education has gained importance worldwide. Colombian government has included it in the basic and secondary schools curriculum, but the current teaching-learning strategies and the resources used for technology class have proven to be insufficient. This paper presents a case study for implementing Project-Based learning in a Colombian high school, using Open source Hardware and Software. First, a set of technological competencies are defined for technology class, based on the suggestions of the Ministry of National Education. Then, a project for designing an irrigation system for the school orchard is presented, which will engage students to develop the selected technological competencies. Subsequently, a set of didactic tools for the project are presented, including an electronic platform for the control of the water flux in the irrigation system. The project will be implemented during the following months, and through diagnostic and summative assessment it is expected to measure the improvement of the technological competencies in students.