Low-Tech Engineering: A Teacher Training in France

On 5 October 2026, secondary school teachers from two schools in Saint-Orens-de-Gameville, France, came together at Collège Jacques Prévert for a teacher training on low-tech solutions and engineering. Supported by the Engineering Grant, the training brought together 15 teachers of Science, including Biology and Life Sciences, Technology and Mathematics. The report was provided by Chiheb Amri.

The training began with an exchange of good practices. The teachers shared how they currently introduce engineering concepts into their lessons and discussed common challenges in incorporating practical engineering activities into science education.

The focus then shifted to hands-on experimentation with renewable energy and plastic recycling. Participants built devices powered by small solar panels, as well as mechanically powered devices, including hand-cranked electricity generators. They also explored accessible plastic recycling methods using everyday equipment, such as a panini press, and plastic waste, including bottle caps and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) bottles. These activities demonstrated how engineering concepts and sustainability-related topics can be explored through low-cost, accessible, and practical approaches.

Finally, the teachers discussed how the activities could be integrated into their respective curricula and which student age groups and educational levels would be suitable. The discussions also highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of low-tech engineering and sustainability, with opportunities for collaboration between teachers of physics, biology, technology and other scientific subjects.