Developing Society 5.0 Competencies: A Secondary School STEAM Project Leveraging UPC’S VirKO Platform and IoT-Vertebrae for Sustainable Computing
摘要
This STEAM initiative for the 2025–26 academic year implements an innovative computational thinking framework in collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. It leverages two technologies: VirKO, an adaptable prototyping IoT sustainable solution, and IoT-Vertebrae, a scalable modular architecture for deploying smart devices and sensors that collect and analyze measured data. Approximately 120 secondary students will engage in project-based activities combining block-based visual programming and Python for data analysis. The curriculum incorporates sustainability challenges, a structured transition from blocks to Python, and digital fabrication with 3D printing and laser cutting. It anticipates a 45% gain in mathematical modeling skills, 60% of students meeting computational thinking benchmarks, and 50% of projects adopting circular-economy principles.