Engineering Teaching Kits, Experiments, and Demonstrations as Part of Workshops for Teachers to Facilitate Learning of Science and Engineering

Caridad Cruz; Lourdes Gazca; Aurelio Lopez-Malo; Enrique Palou

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Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: K-12 and Pre-college Engineering Poster Session
Tagged Division: K-12 & Pre-College Engineering
Page Count: 9
Page Numbers: 25.561.1 - 25.561.9
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--21318
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/21318
Download Count: 352

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Aurelio Lopez-Malo is professor and Past Chair, Department of Chemical, Food, and Environmental Engineering at Universidad de las Americas, Puebla, in Mexico. He teaches food science and engineering related courses. His research interests include emerging technologies for food processing, natural antimicrobials, and active learning.

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Enrique Palou Universidad de las Americas, Puebla

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Enrique Palou is Director, Center for Science, Engineering, and Technology Education in the Department of Chemical, Food, and Environmental Engineering at Universidad de las Americas, Puebla, in Mexico. He teaches engineering, food science, and education related courses. His research interests include emerging technologies for food processing, creating effective learning environments, using tablet PCs and associated technologies to enhance the development of 21st century expertise in engineering students, and building rigorous research capacity in science, engineering, and technology education.

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Abstract

Engineering Teaching Kits, Experiments, and Demonstrations as Part of Workshops for Teachers to Facilitate Learning of Science and EngineeringXXX is an inquiry-based science and engineering program for P-12 students [1]. We havedeveloped, implemented, and evaluated educational materials (simple and inexpensiveexperiments that utilize easy-to-obtain materials) and pedagogical practices designed jointly withP-12 teachers [1, 2]. As part of this program, we have adapted (from the University of Virginia)as well as developed several experiments, demonstrations, and engineering teaching kits (ETKs).An Internet page with most of the developed materials is available [3].To promote our experiments, demonstrations, ETKs, and to further encourage theirimplementation in P-12 schools, our faculty presented several workshops at the Yucatanpeninsula. Around 250 teachers from the states of Campeche and Quintana Roo were engaged in2-day seminars, during which they attended several distinguished lectures and two workshopswhere they performed and learned how to teach more than ten experiments and demonstrationsas part of two ETKs, using recycled or inexpensive materials as tools to facilitate science andengineering learning.Experiments and demonstrations (planned to follow a guided-inquiry procedure) were includedin the workshops such as first, second, and third Newton’s Laws, effect of friction, Archimedes’principle, Pascal’s principle, among others. These were part of the ETKs entitled Racing Carsand Under Pressure [4], which are centered on Newton’s motion laws and density and buoyancyconcepts, respectively. Racing Cars include a tow engineering design challenge that requiresteams to use Newton’s motion laws concept to design a car propelled by air that advances amaximum distance while Under Pressure includes a design challenge to build a submarine ofminimum cost that achieves neutral buoyancy using a plastic bottle as a container as well as salt,sand, grave, beans, and/or rice to achieve required buoyancy. Teacher teams competed againsteach other. Thus the ETKs approach involved hands-on, inquiry-based, team-oriented projects.Information to report workshop outcomes was obtained from observational and interview fieldnotes from the formal sessions, participant workshop evaluations and an exit survey. Responsesto the survey indicated that the workshops were successful in preparing teachers and encouragingadoption of the experiments, demonstrations, and ETKs in Yucatan peninsula P-12 classrooms.Most teachers agreed that the experiments/demonstrations and ETKs are interesting and useful.In general, attendees rated them as good or excellent and felt very or somewhat comfortableperforming and teaching the experiments/demonstrations and ETKs after the workshops. Morethan 75% of the teachers plan to use experiments and/or demonstrations while more than 70% ofthe teachers plan to use ETKs. More than 90% of Pre-school, Kindergarten, and Elementaryteachers plan to use two or three experiments or demonstrations and ETKs in their classes, while70% of Middle and High School teachers will use only one or two and the ETKs. The writtenmaterials provided were rated as very helpful. The workshop provided participants withopportunities to interact more closely and to develop strong interpersonal relationships, whichare widely appreciated aspects of our program and valued highly by the teachers. In the paperactual experiences of some teachers after implementing workshops’ experiments,demonstrations, and ETKs in their classrooms will also be presented.[1] XXX (for blind review purposes)[2] YYY (for blind review purposes)[3] ZZZ (for blind review purposes)[4] Donohue, S. K., Schnittka, C. G., Richards, L. G. 2011. Under Pressure: Designing a Submarine. Teachers’ Guide. Virginia Middle School Engineering Education Initiative.

Citation
Format

Cruz, C., & Gazca, L., & Lopez-Malo, A., & Palou, E. (2012, June), Engineering Teaching Kits, Experiments, and Demonstrations as Part of Workshops for Teachers to Facilitate Learning of Science and Engineering Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--21318

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -         Engineering Teaching Kits, Experiments, and Demonstrations as        Part of Workshops for Teachers to Facilitate Learning of Science                               and EngineeringXXX is an inquiry-based science and engineering program for P-12 students [1]. We havedeveloped, implemented, and evaluated educational materials (simple and inexpensiveexperiments that utilize easy-to-obtain materials) and pedagogical practices designed jointly withP-12 teachers [1, 2]. As part of this program, we have adapted (from the University of Virginia)as well as developed several experiments, demonstrations, and engineering teaching kits (ETKs).An Internet page with most of the developed materials is available [3].To promote our experiments, demonstrations, ETKs, and to further encourage theirimplementation in P-12 schools, our faculty presented several workshops at the Yucatanpeninsula. Around 250 teachers from the states of Campeche and Quintana Roo were engaged in2-day seminars, during which they attended several distinguished lectures and two workshopswhere they performed and learned how to teach more than ten experiments and demonstrationsas part of two ETKs, using recycled or inexpensive materials as tools to facilitate science andengineering learning.Experiments and demonstrations (planned to follow a guided-inquiry procedure) were includedin the workshops such as first, second, and third Newton’s Laws, effect of friction, Archimedes’principle, Pascal’s principle, among others. These were part of the ETKs entitled Racing Carsand Under Pressure [4], which are centered on Newton’s motion laws and density and buoyancyconcepts, respectively. Racing Cars include a tow engineering design challenge that requiresteams to use Newton’s motion laws concept to design a car propelled by air that advances amaximum distance while Under Pressure includes a design challenge to build a submarine ofminimum cost that achieves neutral buoyancy using a plastic bottle as a container as well as salt,sand, grave, beans, and/or rice to achieve required buoyancy. Teacher teams competed againsteach other. Thus the ETKs approach involved hands-on, inquiry-based, team-oriented projects.Information to report workshop outcomes was obtained from observational and interview fieldnotes from the formal sessions, participant workshop evaluations and an exit survey. Responsesto the survey indicated that the workshops were successful in preparing teachers and encouragingadoption of the experiments, demonstrations, and ETKs in Yucatan peninsula P-12 classrooms.Most teachers agreed that the experiments/demonstrations and ETKs are interesting and useful.In general, attendees rated them as good or excellent and felt very or somewhat comfortableperforming and teaching the experiments/demonstrations and ETKs after the workshops. Morethan 75% of the teachers plan to use experiments and/or demonstrations while more than 70% ofthe teachers plan to use ETKs. More than 90% of Pre-school, Kindergarten, and Elementaryteachers plan to use two or three experiments or demonstrations and ETKs in their classes, while70% of Middle and High School teachers will use only one or two and the ETKs. The writtenmaterials provided were rated as very helpful. The workshop provided participants withopportunities to interact more closely and to develop strong interpersonal relationships, whichare widely appreciated aspects of our program and valued highly by the teachers. In the paperactual experiences of some teachers after implementing workshops’ experiments,demonstrations, and ETKs in their classrooms will also be presented.[1]   XXX (for blind review purposes)[2]   YYY (for blind review purposes)[3]   ZZZ (for blind review purposes)[4]   Donohue, S. K., Schnittka, C. G., Richards, L. G. 2011. Under Pressure: Designing a      Submarine. Teachers’ Guide. Virginia Middle School Engineering Education Initiative.
AU  - Caridad Cruz
AU  - Lourdes Gazca
AU  - Aurelio Lopez-Malo
AU  - Enrique Palou
CY  - San Antonio, Texas
DA  - 2012/06/10
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Engineering Teaching Kits, Experiments, and Demonstrations as Part of Workshops for Teachers to Facilitate Learning of Science and Engineering
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/21318
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--21318
ER  -