Learning Sectors: Acelerando no Circuito da Aprendizagem

STEM fields are becoming increasingly essential for the economic, social and environmental progress of different nations, including Brazil. Even though they involve fundamental disciplines, careers in the industry remains fairly exclusive to the few who can access them, with significant barriers in relation to the inclusion of minorities and the promotion of diversity. This reality affects the development and application of science, technology, engineering and maths to benefit the future of thousands of children and teenagers across the country.

Encouraging young people to learn and use computational thinking can transform this unequal reality. Unesco data shows that, globally, women represent only 30% of students in areas involving computational thinking and 35% of enrolments, with clear disparities in research positions, where 71% of university researchers are men. In the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and maths), this disparity is even more pronounced: only 3% of Nobel Science Prizes have been awarded to women. 

In Latin America and the Caribbean, women rarely make up more than 40% of graduates in engineering, information technology and related fields. In Brazil, 31% of STEM positions are held by women, and their presence in leadership positions in science and technology varies between 0% and 2%.

With inclusion as the central theme of the ‘Learning Sectors’ programme, Lara Souto Santana, a black, visually impaired woman, specialist in inclusion and accessibility and a teacher at the Municipal Department of Education in the city of São Paulo, expressed the significance of being welcomed by the programme, even in an environment that still sees improving accessibility as one of its greatest challenges.

"Occupying a high-tech space like this, as a black woman with a disability, is something that breaks down barriers". -Lara Souto Santana, teacher and specialist in inclusion and accessibility

It was to make an impact on this reality that the British Council, with the support of Formula 1, created the ‘Learning Sectors’ programme, which was launched in Brazil at the FORMULA 1 LENOVO GRANDE PRÊMIO DE SÃO PAULO 2024. 

The activities held on the occasion included an ideation workshop led by Camila Achutti, CEO of Mastertech and a professional recognised for her work promoting diversity and the rise of women in the technology sector. The dynamics involved teachers and students in debates to identify challenges and solutions inspired by Formula 1's high-tech environment.

“Formula 1 is the most representative of applied science and technology. The idea of bringing the students here was to create an interaction where they could see and feel, in practice, how these areas bring real solutions to real problems that impact society. We want to demonstrate that STEM is an open door for everyone, especially those who have never imagined themselves in this space.”

- Camila Achutti, CEO e founder of Mastertech

The activities that marked the launch of the ‘Learning Sectors’ programme also included a guided tour behind the scenes at the Interlagos racetrack, where the delegation of teachers and students interacted with Formula 1 engineering professionals and carried out immersive activities such as robotics and scientific experiments.

The F1 team, in turn, made their paddock staff available to the British Council delegation. Students and teachers from the Goiás public school system were able to gain a deeper understanding of how STEM subjects bring motorsport to life.

Inside and outside the racetrack, high school students took part in immersive activities in areas such as programming, robotics and scientific experimentation, designed to capture their imagination and bring them closer to scientific and technological career opportunities.

The activity also highlighted the relevance of teamwork, an essential skill both in Formula 1 and in STEM careers. The experience at the Interlagos circuit allowed the students to closely observe the choreography of the pit stop, where each team member fulfils a crucial function.

The state's Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation, José Frederico Lyra Netto, celebrates the fact that Goiás was one of the few places in the world chosen to implement ‘Learning Sectors’. He believes that taking part in the programme strengthens the state's position in advancing STEM education.

“At the invitation of the British Council, we were at the São Paulo GP to start designing this competition, which arose from the partnership we already have in our robotics laboratories. We want Goiás to be even more competitive in the world.”

- José Frederico Netto, Goiás Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation

“Learning Sectors is an experience that all educators and students should take part in. Linking accessibility, communication and inclusion to STEM is important because it allows the teacher to act as a facilitator in the classroom.”

- Maila Souza, teacher at the ‘Escola do Futuro’ in Goiás

“The programme allows us to act more dynamically in support of what young students experience every day in schools when it comes to technology, engineering, science and maths. We teachers will take this new knowledge that enriches our curriculum into the future in an accessible and free way.”

- Gessiene Santos, teacher at CEPMG (Goiás Military Police Education Command)

“It's incredible that a 16-year-old teenager has the opportunity to experience Formula 1. It's a unique opportunity that can be used as a gateway to the world of science and technology.”

 

- Ana Karine Costa Alves, student at CES Ipiranga