Workshop-Based Renewable Energy Education for Middle School Students in Southern Brazilian Public Schools
Abstract
This paper presents the design and implementation of a renewable energy (RE) workshop for middle school students in six public schools in southern Brazil, as part of the project “ Energizing Equity: Girls and Women Empowering the Energy Transition ”. Supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the initiative seeks to strengthen female participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields while promoting RE education aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Brazil’s National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). The workshop followed a four-week cycle: literature review, hands-on experiments, technical visits, and dissemination of knowledge. Innovative strategies were adopted, including the development of a customized educational card game inspired by the commercial game Perfil and the creation of mock-ups to facilitate the understanding of abstract energy concepts. Activities explored nine RE technologies: solar photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, hydrogen, wave, tidal, and geothermal, through interactive and collaborative approaches. Results highlight that the integration of gamification, experiential learning, and contextualized practices increases student engagement, enhances critical thinking, and fosters teamwork, while connecting classroom learning to real-world energy challenges. The findings demonstrate the potential of workshop-based gamified activities to advance energy literacy, promote gender equity, and prepare younger generations for an inclusive and sustainable energy transition.
Keywords
Renewable Energy, Gamification, Basic Education, Energy Transition