Citizen commitment development through undergraduate internships at the UNPADE-Magallanes.

Abstract

Among the strategic guidelines of the University of Magallanes is to favor the relationship with the community and organizations, strengthening the cultural, economic, and social heritage of the Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica. The Construction Engineering undergraduate program assumes the challenge of giving its students values ​​to guide them, coexist, question, learn, and position themselves in a critical and constructive perspective in social and work life, legitimizing the dignity of people. The generic institutional competence "Social responsibility and citizen commitment" (RS_CC) are included in the undergraduate curriculum. Second-year students carried out their internship at the National Union of Parents and Friends of People with Mental Disabilities (UNPADE); this entity is open to the community and meets all people with intellectual disability needs who require an educational workspace. This social internship is part of the training plan; whose objective is to make the student aware of one of her/his professional roles that are directly related to improving people’s quality of life sustainably. Additionally, to understand that the projected solutions are systemic and dynamic, responding to the constant evolution of society. This initiative is a pioneering activity in the professional training of construction engineers; that way, from their training stage, they are aware of the social role that must be played in their career. This activity was an opportunity for the engineer’s development aiming at personal growth through theoretical-practical training and with a sense of reality, showing elements that we consider significant for a learning design based on social practices. This research was conducted using student self-assessment rubrics and individual practice reports, demonstrating that the students reached the RS_CC competence, through PBL (project-based learning) in the subject of Internship I.