Implementing design thinking methodology in mining engineering degree

The application of new learning methodologies in subjects related to engineering is required for students to develop their transversal skills, such as teamwork, creativity, problem-solving and the development of scientific thinking. On this account, Design Thinking was applied in the Mining Resources Prospecting module of the bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering at the University of Oviedo (Spain). The execution of a geochemical study in the surroundings of a closed mercury mine has been proposed to the students, from the conception of the project on paper to the sampling survey and the statistical treatment of the data. Thus, the first two phases of the methodology, empathise and define, were specified by the teaching staff, and the students developed the following phases: ideate, prototype, and test. The results revealed that the students' satisfaction with the module increased due to the direct application of the knowledge acquired, the scope of teamwork and the satisfaction of overcoming an engineering challenge.