Exploring STEM adolescent education, using Project based learning and Gamification

This paper introduces a transformative intervention in secondary-level technology education within the Chilean system, conducted at the Engineering Design Department of Federico Santa Maria Technical University. Employing Project-Based Learning (PBL) and utilizing the Octalysis motivational framework for gamification, the study investigates student engagement and motivation dynamics. The intervention took the form of a hackathon event (Hack4Education), serving as a platform for collaborative problem-solving. Our experience examines the implementation and results of the event, studying the correlation between participants' emotions and the motivational drivers for each activity. Our contribution aims to enhance engineering and technology education, through the development of a replicable model for active learning interventions, providing insights to support STEM strategies, challenges, and their potential solutions.