A proposal for addressing life cycle thinking in the materials engineering course

Abstract

This study analyzes the prospects for integrating Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) into the curriculum of the Materials Engineering course. Furthermore, it provides lesson plans to support educators in implementing LCT into their teaching practices. A mapping of the Pedagogical Project of the Materials Engineering Course at the Federal University of Piauí, Brazil, was carried out to identify elements related to LCT. Subsequently, course programs were analyzed to identify those that addressed LCT perspectives or had the potential for inclusion. The analysis was facilitated by a constructed tool, called a guideline, based on the scientific literature on the subject. The Materials Engineering course curriculum is not aligned with sustainability and LCT approaches. A gap was identified between what is proposed in the Pedagogical Project of the Course and the course programs. Thus, there is a need for clear guidelines to support the implementation of LCT in teaching practice, defining what to teach and how to teach it. The exclusivity of this study lies in proposing lesson plans to integrate LCT that were specifically developed for the Materials Engineering course but have the potential to be used and/or adapted for other Engineering courses. The proposal of nine lesson plans for various subjects fills the gap between LCT theory and its practical application in Engineering education. It is essential to prepare future engineers with knowledge and skills to tackle the challenges of a constantly changing world to create a more sustainable future. Limitations should be considered when interpreting the results, such as the lack of practical implementation of proposed lesson plans with students. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct additional studies aiming at practical applications using the LCT approach in engineering education.