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44 - MINIBAJA DA UFRN: TRÊS DÉCADAS DE EDUCAÇÃO STEM NA ENGENHARIA MECÂNICA

Doi: 10.47094/978-65-284-0357-8/403-410

PALAVRAS CHAVE: MiniBaja. Educação STEM. Aprendizagem Baseada em Projetos (PBL).

KEYWORDS: MiniBaja. STEM Education. Project-Based Learning (PBL).

ABSTRACT:
This article presents the Car-kará MiniBaja project, developed within the Mechanical Engineering course at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), highlighting its consolidation as an exemplary STEM education practice. Structured as an active learning environment, the project integrates theory and practice through the development of high-performance off-road vehicles, stimulating innovation, critical thinking, and the resolution of complex problems. Over three decades, Car-kará MiniBaja has decisively contributed to the training of engineers capable of articulating technical, managerial, and socio-emotional skills, aligned with the contemporary demands of engineering. Winning the world title in the SAE MiniBaja competition in 1998 demonstrates the project' s pedagogical and institutional impact, reinforcing its relevance in the national and international projection of UFRN. The historical and formative analysis presented demonstrates that student initiatives structured as continuous engineering experiences constitute transformative tools, capable of raising the quality of higher education, strengthening the culture of student leadership, and consolidating educational practices oriented towards technical excellence and innovation.

Autores

  • Cleiton Rubens Formiga Barbosa

  • Cleiton Rubens Formiga Barbosa Júnior

  • Ângelo Roncalli Oliveira Guerra

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