Service-learning in engineering: analysis of students experiences in development cooperation

For several years, engineering students from the Escola Politècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Manresa have been participating in development cooperation projects as activities of the non-governmental Organization Mining for Development, with the support of the Center for Development Cooperation of the UPC. Activities were carried out in several mining sites in South American countries, mainly in Bolivia and Peru. Although the motivation for the students may have been initially a desire for adventure and volunteering, the experience turned into meaningful learning, as intended by the faculty leading the project. This paper presents the findings of a study carried out to analyze how these experiences contributed to the learning of engineering students, within the framework of what is known as service learning. The study is based on the reports written by the students at the end of the experience and interviews conducted afterward when the experience had been fully internalized. The characteristic elements of service learning have been identified. In addition, the analysis revealed how the experiences had a significant impact on subsequent learning, even beyond the initially intended objectives.