Conference Session

Assessment of K-12 Engineering Programs & Issues

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Devlin Montfort, Washington State University; Shane Brown, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

response to the opening question, “What comes to mind when you hearthe word ‘engineer’?” had to do with the mechanistic work of building or fixing. Jack, forexample associated construction to engineering by stating, “People building things, making Page 15.1054.7things, like trying to fix them.” When asked if he could become an engineer, Jack stated, “Ithink I could. I live on a farm, so I have to fix a lot of engines and stuff like that.” Building orfixing things was the primary component of the definition of engineering for 20 of the 27students interviewed. Five of those 20, however, included a variety of other jobs. For example,Jane said that

Conference Session

Teacher and Counselor Professional Development

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Laura Bottomley, North Carolina State University; Justin Osterstrom, Combs Elementary Scho

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

. Student learning outcomes e. Assessment 4. Engineering Design: Innovation and Invention a. Design processes: definitions, parallels b. Practicing problem solving and design c. Evaluating products and designs 5. The Technological World a. Previous definitions b. Changing paradigms 6. K-5 Educational Programs a. Children’s Engineering b. Engineering is Elementary c. Competitions (Odyssey of the Mind, Science and Technology Fairs, etc.) d. Working with parents: STEM nights 7. Educational Grant Writing and Publishing a. General grant writing principals b. Identifying requirements c. Research versus program

Conference Session

Thinking, Reasoning & Engineering in Elementary School

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Pelletier, Northern Essex Community College; Linda Desjardins, Northern Essex Community College; Paul Chanley, Northern Essex Community College; Lori Heymans, Northern Essex Community College

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

elementary school teachers in EiE. A three-year goal ofimplementing a unit of EiE in two-thirds of the classrooms of each of the twenty-two elementaryschools was established.Included in the paper will be the findings of an outside evaluator hired to gather and evaluatedata from the students and report the results.The paper will conclude with lessons learned that will be applied in the second year expansion ofthe program which will include many more elementary school teachers implementing EiE withinthe four school systems.IntroductionIn the spring of 2008, a grant-funded three-year project entitled THE PROJECT began. THEPROJECT sought to win hearts and minds of students in the elementary schools and to put the"T" and "E" (technology and engineering

Conference Session

Exemplary Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig Gunn, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

beliefs in the need to expose engineering students toart are vital to the profession.This same thought trail unwinds in the mind of David Snider, University of South Florida, who usesthe fine arts to broaden his students’ engineering perspectives. The National Science Foundation inits press release 06-127 comments that “On a college campus, it would be difficult to find twosubjects more different from each other than art and engineering. Yet on the campus of theUniversity of South Florida, one engineering professor responsible for teaching classes aboutdifferential equations and electromagnetism has created a popular course that merges his researchworld with the world of fine art.” 4 Snider is able to utilize the principles of engineering

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Silvia Carreño, Universidad de las Americas Puebla; Enrique Palou, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla; Aurelio López-Malo, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

experience.Teachers were given 10 min to draw an engineer (previously they were asked to close their eyesand imagine an engineer at work) on a sheet of paper (directions were read to the teachers andalso provided in writing in the sheet of paper). Once they had completed their drawings, teacherswere given 15 min to answer three question prompts (read by a facilitator and projected on thescreen for the whole audience to see them during the entire 15 min) related to what they haddrawn: 1) Describe what the engineer is doing in your drawing. Write at least two sentences. 2)List at least three words/phrases that come to mind when you think of an engineer. 3) What kindsof things do you think an engineer does on a typical day? List at least three things

Conference Session

Mentoring & Outreach for Girls & Minorities

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lindsey Jenkins-Stark, Iridescent; Tara Chklovski, Iridescent

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-2220: ENGINEERS AS TEACHERS: HELPING ENGINEERS BRINGCUTTING EDGE SCIENCE TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIESLindsey Jenkins-Stark, IridescentTara Chklovski, Iridescent Page 15.501.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 K-12 Pre-Engineering Education Engineers as Teachers: Helping Engineers Bring Cutting Edge Science to Underserved CommunitiesAbstractThere is growing concern among the scientific community that the United States is not preparinga diverse enough group of students, in the areas of science, technology, engineering, andmathematics (STEM). The percentage of bachelor’s degrees in STEM awarded

Conference Session

Enhancing K-12 STEM Education with Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Taylor Martin, University of Texas, Austin; Tom Benton, University of Texas, Austin; William McKenna, University of Texas, Austin; Pat Ko, University of Texas at Austin

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

InstructionExperts agree that high school engineering should be centered around design (Katehi etal., 2009). Therefore, we adapted the SL Cycle of CBI to support Design BasedInstruction (DBI) by creating a cycle that was suited for addressing design challenges Page Page15.1277.11rather than problem solving challenges (See Figure 2). 15.1277.8Teachers will generally enter the DBI cycle with some idea in mind of a classroomactivity they would like to further develop, or with

Conference Session

Engineering in the Middle Grades

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jade Mitchell-Blackwood, Drexel University; Manuel Figueroa, Drexel University; Chatchai Kokar, Drexel University; Adam Fontecchio, Drexel University; Eli Fromm, Drexel University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

students, the general public and even manyteachers share this position.19 The field of engineering has rapidly changed in recent years andhas become so diverse in scope that consensus on a definition would be hard to come by evenamongst professionals. Since a conception in the minds of the middle school students is what weultimately hope to accomplish through this educational intervention, it is necessary to identifythis end result in order to evaluate the effectiveness of our parallel interventions as it should bethe basis of the educational activities implemented.20 Schunn presents a general definition thatdescribes engineering as using analytical and empirical processes to design complex systems thatmeet stated objectives and take into account

Conference Session

Exemplary Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen Davis, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-252: JUST DESSERTS: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MEETSCOMPUTING OUTREACHKaren Davis, University of Cincinnati Page 15.822.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Just Desserts: Mechanical Engineering Meets Computing Outreach Karen C. Davis, Ph.D. Stephanie Heil Allison Mayborg Adam Pulskamp University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 45221-0030Abstract – This paper

Conference Session

Enhancing Recruitment and Retention in Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh, Springfield Technical Community College; Glenn Ellis, Smith College; Diana Fiumefreddo, Smith College

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-1579: DRAFTING A BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATING TOMORROW'SENGINEERS TODAYBeth McGinnis-Cavanaugh, Springfield Technical Community CollegeGlenn Ellis, Smith CollegeDiana Fiumefreddo, Smith College Page 15.430.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Drafting a Blueprint for Educating Tomorrow’s Engineers TodayIntroductionWith the establishment of a STEM middle school and other initiatives, the Springfield,Massachusetts Public School System (SPS) has made a commitment to excellence inTechnology/Engineering instruction for all of its 5700 students. To support this commitment, apartnership between the Springfield Middle Schools, Springfield Technical Community

Conference Session

Thinking, Reasoning & Engineering in Elementary School

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cathy Lachapelle, Museum of Science, Boston; Christine Cunningham, Museum of Science, Boston

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

beenmultiple measure assessments (pre-post). Some were designed to assess understanding of basicengineering and technology content (such as “What is Engineering?”), while others have focusedon measuring STEM learning resulting from student interaction with specific EiE units. Page 15.199.2Theoretical FrameworkThe main goal of the EiE curriculum is to help children to learn engineering and technology—not merely facts from and about these fields of study, but practices, habits of mind, and ways oflooking at the world through disciplinary lenses. At the dawn of the twentieth century, JohnDewey 1 advocated that progressive education should provide

Conference Session

Assessment of K-12 Engineering Programs & Issues

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

M. David Burghardt, Hofstra University; Michael Hacker, Hofstra University; Marc Devries, University of Technology, Delft; Ammeret Rossouw, University of Technology, Delft

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-53: TOWARDS DEVELOPING AN ONTOLOGY FOR K-12ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY EDUCATIONM. David Burghardt, Hofstra UniversityMichael Hacker, Hofstra University Co-director, Center for Technological LiteracyMarc Devries, University of Technology, DelftAmmeret Rossouw, University of Technology, Delft Page 15.1270.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Toward Developing an Ontology for K-12 Engineering Technology EducationAbstractHofstra University’s Center for Technological Literacy and the University of Technology, Delft,conducted an international research study in the summer of 2009 to identify the most

Conference Session

High School Engineering Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Douglas Oppliger, Michigan Technological University; Jean Kampe, Michigan Technological University; Valorie Troesch, Michigan Technological Univeristy

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-569: HIGH SCHOOL ENTERPRISE: AUTHENTIC ENGINEERINGEXPERIENCES IN SECONDARY EDUCATIONDouglas Oppliger, Michigan Technological UniversityJean Kampe, Michigan Technological UniversityValorie Troesch, Michigan Technological Univeristy Page 15.642.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 High School Enterprise: Authentic Engineering Experiences in Secondary EducationAbstractThe need for more, and better prepared, individuals entering STEM (science, technology,engineering, and math) education is well documented by several organizations.1 High SchoolEnterprise (HSE) is an extra- or in-curricular school activity in which students

Conference Session

Gender and Minority Issues in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeanne Christman, Rochester Institute of Technology; Elizabeth Dell, Rochester Institute of Technology; Robert Garrick, Rochester Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-780: INCREASING GIRLS' INTEREST IN ENGINEERING BY MAKINGIT FUNJeanne Christman, Rochester Institute of Technology Jeanne Christman is an Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Her academic area of distinction is in Embedded Systems Design. Jeanne received a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Clarkson University and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Dallas. She worked in industry as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) designer prior to joining the faculty at RIT.Elizabeth Dell, Rochester Institute of Technology Elizabeth Dell is an Assistant Professor of Manufacturing &

Conference Session

Engineering in the Middle Grades

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christine Schnittka, University of Kentucky; Michael Evans, Virginia Tech; Brett Jones, Virginia Tech; Carol Brandt, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

values. This might be due tothe fact that students had little to no knowledge of what engineering was at the beginning ofStudio STEM; therefore, they had the most to learn about it. Nonetheless, we were encouragedthat their new found values were in the positive direction.Beliefs about Studio STEMStudents were interested in and enjoyed participating in Studio STEM, put a lot of effort into it,and felt supported by their Studio STEM instructors (see Table 2). Students also felt supportedby their peers during the project, but to a lesser extent than they felt supported by theirinstructors. Given the importance of caring interpersonal relationships 28,29 and our attempt todesign Studio STEM with that component in mind, the results support the fact

Conference Session

High School Engineering Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mohamed Abdelrahman, Tennessee Technological University; Cynthia Rice-York, Tennessee Tech University; Dalton York, Tennessee Tech University; Cynthia Stowers, Clark Range High School; Robert Sircy, Tennessee Tech University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-778: TWO LEGACY CYCLE MODULES IN MATH AND CHEMISTRYFOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BASED ON FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGYMohamed Abdelrahman, Tennessee Technological UniversityCynthia Rice-York, Tennessee Tech UniversityDalton York, Tennessee Tech UniversityCynthia Stowers, Clark Range High SchoolRobert Sircy, Tennessee Tech University Page 15.1282.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Two Legacy Cycle modules in Math and Chemistry for High School Students based on Fuel Cell TechnologyAbstractThe current paper is focused on relaying the experience of two high school teachers thatparticipated in a research experience for teachers (RETainUS

Conference Session

High School Engineering Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amy Prevost, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Mitchell Nathan, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Benjamin Stein, University of Wisconsin; Allen Phelps, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

mathematical phenomena.Engineering: Ability to keep in mind parameters of the project while creating a solution.UnderstandingConstraintsEngineering: Generate an idea for testing based on knowledge of what might work (from math orCreating physics, for example, or even other things that exist - a bridge in your neighborhood,Hypotheses something found in nature or even experience).Engineering: Figure out what must be done at certain time points in order to meet a deadline.ProjectManagementEngineering: Use Use of computer aided tools for creating and modeling the project.of Software forDesignExplicit Integration of Concepts and SkillsWe applied an additional code to any video clip coded for math

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elsa Head, Tufts University; Adam Carberry, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-207: WHAT CAN TEACHERS LEARN FROM ENGINEERINGEXPERTS? USING A THREE-PHASE MODEL TO IMPROVE K-12 TEACHER'SKNOWLEDGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGYElsa Head, Tufts University Elsa Head is a Master's student in the Math, Science, Technology, and Engineering Education program at Tufts University. She holds a B.S. in Engineering Science and Environmental Studies from Tufts University. Elsa participated in the Student Teacher Outreach Mentorship Program (STOMP) as an undergraduate at Tufts and currently works at Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and Outreach as a co-manager for STOMP.Adam Carberry, Tufts University Adam R. Carberry is a Doctoral Candidate in Engineering

Conference Session

Gender and Minority Issues in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kimberly Edginton Bigelow, University of Dayton; Gail Wheatley, Edheads; David Tomasko, The Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

to skip steps was purposefully added to the activity design,such that users who did not fully understand the problem by conducting research would build adesign that likely did not meet the needs of the users. This helped demonstrate the importance offollowing the engineering process and designing with the user in mind, instead of one’s self (areason why the senior citizen market was chosen as the user population).For those students who begin at research, they are presented a file folder of reports that they canlook through. The topics are: Usage, Dimensions, Research Results, and Client Needs. TheUsage and Dimensions topics feature various charts and graphs showing users’ preferences. Thegraphs, ranging from pie charts to bar charts have to

Conference Session

Women in K-12 Engineeering & Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shannon Ciston, University of New Haven; Ellen Worsdall, Northwestern University; Jessica Swenson, Northwestern University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

women in engineering, and want to work to increase thenumber through outreach programs. I also would like to do more research on how women's Page 15.1147.9careers in engineering differ from men's.” “It is always encouraging to see so many strong-willed, creative-minded femaleengineers, such as that are involved in a program like this.” “I would definitely say that seeing all the young women who both taught & participatedin STEP was really inspirational. It is nice to see that NU was able to reach out to that manyyoung girls who were genuinely interested in science.” “STEP has furthered my strong stance on encouraging women to

Conference Session

Exemplary Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lisa Pruitt, University of California, Berkeley; Eli Patten, University of California at Berkeley; Sara Atwood, University of California, Berkeley

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

as teamwork, communication, connection to society and appreciation ofdiversity are recognized as important abilities that are necessary for all engineers graduatingfrom ABET-accredited programs [10]. With these facts in mind, the K-12 outreach teachingproject entitled “Body by Design” was developed as a central portion of an upper divisiontechnical elective course cross-listed between mechanical engineering and bioengineering.Structural Aspects of Biomaterials has been taught for nearly a decade and in this timeframe, thecourse has evolved from a survey course to a course with emphasis on project-based learning,interdisciplinary problems, teamwork, and outreach teaching. By the end of the semester,undergraduates are expected to have an

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donna Llewellyn, Georgia Institute of Technology; Caroline Noyes, Georgia Institute of Technology; Robert DeHaan, Emory University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-1059: PERCEPTIONS OF K-12 AND COLLEGIATE STEM TEACHINGCAREERS BY COMPUTING, ENGINEERING, AND SCIENCEADMINISTRATORS, FACULTY AND ADVISORSDonna Llewellyn, Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Donna C. Llewellyn is the Director of the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL)at Georgia Tech. Donna received her B.A. in Mathematics from Swarthmore College, her M.S. in Operations Research from Stanford University, and her Ph.D. in Operations Research from Cornell University. After working as a faculty member in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, she changed career paths to lead CETL where she works with faculty, instructors, and graduate students to

Conference Session

Enhancing K-12 STEM Education with Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steve Macho, Buffalo State College

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

. Page 15.31.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 A functional conceptual framework for teaching technological literacyAbstract This is a presentation of an epistemological framework for teaching technologysuch that it will bring about improved technological literacy in ALL K-12 students.Design, Living, Productivity, and Foundational Technical Concepts anchor ourconceptual framework for teaching technology educators. This conceptual framework forteaching technology literacy is functional, standards based, and can accommodatemultiple pedagogies. It meets the standards of ITEA/CTTE, the _______ State Dept ofEd., NCATE, and others. It also aligns with drafts of the NAEP Technological LiteracyAssessment. We have

Conference Session

Enhancing K-12 STEM Education with Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Virginia Westheider, University of Cincinnati; Patrick Brown, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

society.14. For some reason, even though I study, science seems unusually hard for me. Statement SA A N D SD15. I like to be challenged by science problems.16. Science labs help me to understand how science can be used in the real world.17. I feel confident in my ability to use lab equipment well.18. Science and engineering are of little relevance (importance) in my life.19. I am confident that I can get good grades in science.20. I don’t mind doing an experiment several times to check my answer.21. Science in enjoyable and stimulating to me.22. I feel like I am answering real questions during science labs.23. I don’t like working with partners during science labs.24. I

Conference Session

Thinking, Reasoning & Engineering in Elementary School

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gerald Mora, New Mexico Tech; Ricardo Negron, WPAFB; Robert McGahern, DDR&E; Eugene Brown, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-783: NDEP-SUPPORTED K-12 STEM OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OF THEUS AIR FORCEGerald Mora, New Mexico Tech Gerald Mora is the Director of New Mexico Tech's Technology Transfer Support Group and the State of New Mexico Partnership Intermediary for the Air Force Research Laboratory at the Kirtland Air Force Base. Mr. Mora was awarded the 2001 New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award for his development Kirtland’s La Luz program. Mr Mora has numerous publications based on his Systems Engineering work and his passion for education outreach.Ricardo Negron, WPAFB RICARDO NEGRON--Ricardo Negron is currently the Chief of the Domestic Partnering Branch at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFRL

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Enrique Palou, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla; Aurelio López-Malo, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla; Lourdes Gazca, Universidad de las Americas, Puebla

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

Divertidos can be incorporated to P-12 science classroomswithout modifying the existing curriculum at the different types and modalities offered at theselevels in Mexico. Our program is fostering that students learn science and engineering DOINGscience and engineering.Results to date indicate the importance of placing teachers in the role of “students” and allowingthem to experience hands-on and minds-on inquiry-based activities as well as grapple withdesigning their own lesson plans in a peer group setting where they can brainstorm and receivefeedback. Therefore annually we hold on-campus one-week summer workshops in order to helpP-12 school teachers incorporate the developed experiments, ETKs and pedagogical practices5.To further promote the

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and K-12 Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rene Reitsma, Oregon State University; Paul Klenk, Duke University; Malinda Zarske, University of Colorado, Boulder; Jacquelyn Sullivan, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-1998: ARE FRENCH FRIES AND GRADES BAD FOR YOU?CONFLICTING EVIDENCE ON HOW K-12 TEACHERS SEARCH IN A K-12DIGITAL LIBRARYRene Reitsma, Oregon State University RENE F. REITSMA is an associate professor of Business Information Systems at Oregon State University's College of Business. He and his students are responsible for the design, development and maintenance of the TeachEngineering digital library system architecture. Reitsma’s research concentrates on how digital libraries are used and can be improved.Paul Klenk, Duke University PAUL A. KLENK received his PhD in mechanical engineering and materials science at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering in 2006. Since then, Paul has

Conference Session

Enhancing K-12 STEM Education with Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tirupalavanam Ganesh, Arizona State University; John Thieken, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-2272: DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING CHAIN REACTIONS: ASTUDY OF SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF ELECTRICALCIRCUITSTirupalavanam Ganesh, Arizona State University Tirupalavanam Ganesh, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at Arizona State University. He has degrees and experience in engineering, computer science, and education. He has brought this experience to bear in previous research that examined the use of technologies in K-12 settings with diverse students. He has worked with the Children’s Museum of Houston on the development and implementation of Robotics-based STEM programming for urban youth. He is the Principal Investigator of the National Science

Conference Session

Assessment of K-12 Engineering Programs & Issues

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michele Strutz, Purdue University; Matthew Ohland, Purdue University; Erin Bowen, Purdue University; Eric Mann, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

Legislation, Programs, Reports Focus on ShortageIn the midst of the world’s recognition bestowed on the scientific, technological, engineering,and mathematical minds of Russia for their launch of Sputnik in 1957, it seems that thisoutstanding accomplishment would immediately bring to light the need to address thedeficiencies in the educational system in the United States. More than 25 years later, the NationalCommission on Excellence in Education published A Nation at Risk: the Imperative forEducational Reform, which primarily assessed the quality of teaching and learning in the publicschools41. Educational researcher Paul Hurd stated that “We are raising a new generation ofAmericans that is scientifically and technologically illiterate” 41.More than

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brittany Luken, Georgia Institute of Technology; Stacey Mumbower, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

decisions. Another important lessonwas learned during Activity 1. Students seemed to elect modes of transportation they were Page 15.962.6comfortable using or had experience with. To foster further learning, the facilitators let studentsengage in discussion with one another on the pros and cons of taking a plane, riding the bus,riding the train, and driving to a vacation destination. This experience was unique because itallowed students to teach students from their own experiences. It also helped students form moreopen-minded opinions about modes of transportation that they had not experienced.Introduction to Transportation Engineering at Westlake