Conference Session

Innovative K-12 Engineering Programs

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elisabeth McGrath, Stevens Institute of Technology; Susan Lowes, Teachers College, Columbia University; Peiyi Lin, Teachers College, Columbia University; Jason Sayres, Stevens Institute of Technology; Liesl Hotaling, The Beacon Institute; Rustam Stolkin, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

, activities, and impact of the curriculum development, teacherand student summer institutes, and preliminary classroom implementation results for the firstphase of the project: designing the wire-guided, underwater ROV and controlling it to performthe initial set of performance challenges related to maneuvering around the pool andcollecting/placing wiffle balls in a goal.BUILD IT Program and Learning Goals and ActivitiesIn meeting the ITEST program goals to provide more students with experience and motivation topursue IT and STEM study and careers, the BUILD IT project focuses on three keyconstituencies: (1) middle and high school teachers; (2) their students; and (3) guidancecounselors. In addition, we have sought to engage parents and the greater

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K12 Teachers

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

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

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

topics that would be covered in the summerinstitute. After the pre-test, the engineering design process was reviewed and discussed.The following is from the Massachusetts Science and technology/EngineeringCurriculum Frameworks: Steps of the Engineering Design Process: 1) Identify the need or problem 5) Construct a prototype 2) Research the need or problem 6) Test and evaluate the solution(s) 3) Develop possible solution(s). 7) Communicate the solution(s) 4) Select the best possible solution(s) 8) RedesignThe engineering design process was a major theme throughout the summer institutes andthe participants were exposed to it throughout the

Conference Session

Successful Mentoring and Outreach Programs for Girls and Minorities

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katherine Chen, California Polytechnic State University; Daniel Belter, California Polytechnic State University; Teana Fredeen, California Polytechnic State University; Heather Smith, California Polytechnic State University; Shirley Magnusson, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

scientists. Her current work is exploring how to integrate engineering with science in the elementary curriculum in a way that empowers children and supports teachers in finding time to teach science. Page 14.743.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Inspiring a Diverse Population of High School Students to Choose Engineering as a Career PathAbstractA week-long, summer day-program was created to expose and inspire high school students toconsider engineering as a career path. The goals of the program were to 1) bring high schoolstudents of diverse backgrounds to our university campus, 2) excite

Conference Session

Successful Mentoring and Outreach Programs for Girls and Minorities

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anant Kukreti, University of Cincinnati; Kenneth Simonson, University of Cincinnati; Latiera Evans, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

. Page 14.946.4Following three activities were executed for 4th to 5th grades students:1. Simple Machine Activity. The purpose of this activity was to illustrate how machines work.For this group the students had pictures of machines that they cut out and then identified whichgroup the machines belong to by matching the names of the machines with the pictures. Eachstudent created a poster identifying the machine, explaining what the machine does, and why thatjob was important. They had to write a short statement about how it relates to life today.2. Candy Chromatography. The goal of this project is to use paper chromatography to see whichdyes are used in the coatings of your favorite colored candies. The students were given a set ofmaterials to

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Milo Koretsky, Oregon State University; Debra Gilbuena, Oregon State University; Adam Kirsch, Crescent Valley High School

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

that they specify, get output data and determine the cost oftheir experiments. Figure 1 displays screen-shots of this interface. This student user interfacegoes beyond simply providing a method for students to access the simulation. It also allowsstudents to become familiar with the appearance of a cleanroom. The similarity of the 3Dinterface to popular video games allows this learning platform to feel familiar and non-threatening to the student. To grow Si3N4 thin films using the Virtual CVD reactor, the studentmust typically specify 9 operating parameters. The reactor input screen is shown in Figure 1b.The different temperature zones in the reactor (5 zones by default) can be independentlycontrolled. In addition, the flow rates of ammonia

Conference Session

Engineering in the Middle Grades

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christine Schnittka, University of Virginia; Randy Bell, University of Virginia; Larry Richards, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

engineering attitudes, andthe pretest scores were equivalent for all three groups (p=.111).Group #1 received the engineering design curriculum, but did not receive five demonstrationsaimed at promoting conceptual change. These demonstrations relied on discrepant events,student prediction, and discussion, and targeted well-researched alternative conceptions aboutheat transfer possessed by young adults. Group #2 did not receive the engineering designcurriculum; instead they were taught the same concepts about heat transfer by the same teacher,but in the method she typically taught. Group #3 received the full engineering design curriculumin addition to the five demonstrations designed by the researcher.Results indicate that all three classes made

Conference Session

High-School Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Muhammad Kehnemouyi, Montgomery College; Uchechukwu Abanulo, Montgomery College

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

. Page 14.561.4As the end of the semester approaches, students are given time to complete the design,building and testing of their project, which they have to present to their peers and thedepartment representatives for evaluation.The Engineering your Future ProjectThe schedule for the Engineering your Future Project is divided into the following threephases:Phase 1: Presentation of engineering as a careerIn this phase, the students are given a comprehensive and interactive presentation onengineering as a career based on the book, “Engineering Your Future” by Oakes, Leoneand Gunn3. This presentation, which requires at least four hours of class to complete,covers the following topics: ≠ A detailed description of all the engineering

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bruce Gehrig, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Lyndon Abrams, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Deborah Bosley, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; James Conrad, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Stephen Kuyath, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

subjects [1]. Reversing this trend requires promoting science,technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects and professions in a more socially relevant,real-world context and recognition of the differences in learning styles and self-efficacy betweenmales, females and minorities [2, 3, 4]. As STEM teachers and school guidance counselors are aprimary catalysts for introducing students to engineering and technology subjects and careers,the Teaching Engineering to Counselors and Teachers (TECT) professional developmentworkshop has been developed by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC-Charlotte)to strengthen the way in which high school teachers and counselors approach the integration ofengineering based materials into their courses

Conference Session

Women in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joy Watson, University of South Carolina; Jed Lyons, University of South Carolina

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

OverviewThe main objective of this study is to determine the attitudes and reactions of middle schoolstudents in single gender classrooms towards engineering design problems. Questions addressedin the study include: 1) How does the student's gender affect his or her attitude towards open-ended design projects? 2) What are the differences in the responses of honors students and regular students to open-ended design projects?The StudentsThis study was conducted in a single-gender middle school magnet program in a public schooldistrict in the Southeastern US. The program is a school-within-a-school. The students aregrouped by gender during science, math, language arts and social studies classes. Other classes,such as a

Conference Session

Thinking, Reasoning, and Engineering in Elementary School

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Augusto Macalalag, Stevens Institute of Technology; Susan Lowes, Teachers College/Columbia University; Mercedes McKay, Stevens Institute of Technology; Karen Guo, Teachers College/Columbia University; Elisabeth McGrath, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

promote teachers’ content andpedagogical knowledge and increase students’ achievement and engagement in science.The partnership includes six urban districts in northern New Jersey, a science center,teacher education institution, and an engineering college. Teachers receive a two weeksummer institute, one hour monthly classroom support visits, and three professionaldevelopment days during the school year. The goals of PISA are: (1) to increaseteachers’ content knowledge in specific science topics and engineering, (2) to improvethe teachers’ notions of scientific inquiry, (3) to increase participating teachers’preparedness in creating, adapting, and delivering inquiry-based science and engineeringlessons, and (4) to increase students’ content

Conference Session

Assessment of K-12 Engineering Programs and Issues

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Debra Brockway, Stevens Institute of Technology; Elisabeth McGrath, Stevens Institute of Technology; Mercedes McKay, Stevens Institute of Technology; Dawna Schultz, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

science and mathematics principles to solve relevant, real-world design problemsin the context of the required courses. In addition to increasing students’ familiarity withengineering and other STEM careers, the exposure to engineering concepts and design-basedactivities is hypothesized to improve students’ problem-solving abilities in other areas.The teacher professional development programs under the EOFNJ umbrella provide teacherswith a thorough understanding of selected exemplary engineering curricula and the underlyingscience, engineering, and mathematics concepts through hands-on experiences that frequentlyresult in effective classroom implementation and occasionally in district-wide adoption of thecurriculum.1 Engineering curricula and

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Louis Nadelson, College of Education; Janet Callahan, Boise State University; Pat Pyke, Boise State University; Anne Hay, Boise State University; Cheryl Schrader, Boise State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

anticipation that the exposure toactivities and content will improve their capacity to teach. Is this a realistic expectation? As mosthave experienced and would contend, learning takes time.1 This is particularly true whenlearning content that is unrelated to prior knowledge.1, 2 Maintaining this perspective wouldsuggest that brief interventions are unlikely to achieve the desired goals of increased knowledge, Page 14.126.2comprehension, and retention of new or ambiguous content. However, research also shows thatengaging in tasks that are relevant, novel, and applicable increase learner motivation which canlead to a greater probability that a

Conference Session

Gender and Minority Issues in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Siddika Guzey, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Tamara Moore, University of Minnesota; Gillian Roehrig, University of Minnesota

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

design process –ask, imagine, plan, create, test,improve (adapted from Boston Museum of Science). First, the students watched short video clipsthat explored civil engineering as a career. Then, they discussed different types of civilengineering projects found in their community and how to become a civil engineer. There weretwo purposes in this: (1) to help the students connect the content of the curriculum to theireveryday lives, and (2) to encourage the students to consider engineering as a career. Followingthese introductory activities, students engaged in deep discussions about the 35W bridgecollapse. This context connects activities in the Summer 2008 program and to the curriculum inthe after-school program in Fall 2008. During the summer

Conference Session

Infusing Engineering Content Through Curricular Innovation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Emily Wischow, Purdue University; Lynn Bryan, Purdue University; George Bodner, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

goals: to determine the effectiveness of aprofessional development program in achieving its goals (for example, bringing aboutpedagogical or content reform), and to ascertain teacher reactions to a professional developmentprogram. Since the study described here uses documents (specifically lesson plans) to evaluateprofessional development, the use of documents will be the focus of the descriptions.Many studies have utilized surveys and quantitative feedback measures to ascertain teacherresponses to and development from professional development programs. However, Lewthwaitepoints out that although surveys can monitor change, they may not capture the nature of thechange and development.1 In the case of our study, a mixed-methods approach may

Conference Session

Engineering Collaboration: Faculty and Student Involvement in K-12 Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robin Autenrieth, Texas A&M University; Karen Butler-Purry, Texas A&M University; Cheryl Page, Texas A&M University; L. Diane Hurtado, Texas A&M University; Jennifer Welch, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects, and all havestudent bodies that are primarily from underrepresented minority groups (average 88%), lowincome (average 77%), and first generation to college. The goal “to involve teachers inengineering research” has been accomplished by satisfying 3 objectives linked to the intendedoutcomes and impacts. The objectives are: 1) Provide contemporary engineering researchexperiences and enhance understanding of the nature of engineering; 2) Scaffold teacherdevelopment of authentic inquiry activities for the high school classroom; and 3) Improve publicschool teachers’ knowledge about careers in engineering. Assessment of the program isintegrated into its structure providing regular feedback which is

Conference Session

Engineering Collaboration: Faculty and Student Involvement in K-12 Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Elizabeth Eschenbach, Humboldt State University; Mary Virnoche, Humboldt State University; Lonny Grafman, Humboldt State University; Forrest Stamper, Hoopa Valley High School; Laura Atkins, Humboldt State University; Rebecca Raymond, Humboldt State University; Katie Mills, Humboldt State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

“expand and diversifythe pool of incoming students who are well prepared and eager to enter as engineering majors” 1. Page 14.705.3This expanded diverse pool of engineering students should help meet the governor’s request for20,000 more engineers, as a baseline requirement for California’s economy2, into the state’sworkforce in the next 10 years.Three main outreach models had shown success at different CSU campuses: 1) The Math,Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program3, 2) Project Lead the Way (PLTW) 4,and 3) the Accelerated College Entrance (ACE) program at CSU Sacramento. The ACE modelwas chosen for Humboldt State University as it

Conference Session

Exemplary Outreach Programs in Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pamela Lottero-Perdue, Towson State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

responses of somechildren were more elaborate than others. Interview data allude to the importance of concreteexamples of technology as students reconstruct definitions of technology and consider howtechnology may be beneficial or detrimental to people and the environment.IntroductionThis paper seeks to answer two questions about a group of 23 elementary-aged children beforeand after their participation in a summer engineering and science club (SEAS Club) that utilizedEngineering is Elementary (EiE) curricula: 1. How do these children define and describe technology? 2. How do they critically analyze technology, that is, conceive of ways that technology may be beneficial or detrimental to people or the environment?The background section of

Conference Session

Exemplary Teacher and Counselor Professional Development

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Macon Beck, Purdue University; Heidi Diefes-Dux, Purdue Universtiy; Teri Reed-Rhoads, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

between school counselors’ available time and students’ desirefor career advising creates the need for high quality and effective career advising materials andsupport for school counselors. Little research has been conducted around the issue of what isneeded to support school counselors in advising students about engineering careers. This pilotstudy was designed to answer the following questions, “What are school counselors’understanding of engineering” and “What is the self-reported need for and support desired byprofessional school counselors to aid their work with academic and career development relatedto students and engineering?” An online survey instrument was developed to collect informationfrom school counselors about (1) their

Conference Session

Engineering Collaboration: Faculty and Student Involvement in K-12 Programs

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nathalie Mukolobwiez, Saint Ursula Academy; Michelle Beach, Midpark High School; Jaswinder Dhillon, Withrow High School; Raviteja Chalasani, University of Cincinnati; Anant Kukreti, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

Physics/Chemistry Teacher in Cleveland Ohio. She earned her bachelors in Civil Environmental Engineering (2004) and her Masters in Secondary Education (2006) from the University of Cincinnati. Her experiences include 3 years as a National Science Foundation STEP Fellow were she taught in several Cincinnati Public Schools and 3 years as a high school science teacher in Cleveland.Jaswinder Dhillon, Withrow High School Jaswinder Dhillon teaches Mathematics at Withrow University High School in Cincinnati, OH. He has taught classes including Pre-Calculus, Algebra 2 and Algebra 1 to 9th-12th graders. This is his third year teaching at Withrow as well as his third year teaching overall. Jaswinder

Conference Session

Exemplary Teacher and Counselor Professional Development

Collection

2009 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

development programs at an annual regional conference (sponsored byCALICA) in the state of Quintana Roo. These programs involve offering for 3 days,distinguished lectures, seminars, and workshops at no cost to teachers in attendance. Theprogram designed for each conference is always different and includes recent educationaldevelopments. Workshops offer practical tools to the teachers in order to help them enhance theirdaily teaching activities, and different areas have been covered including math, history, Spanish,foreign languages, literature, science, engineering, among others.The following experiments12, 16 (planned to follow a guided-inquiry procedure23) were includedin the 2007 workshop: (1) Discovering papillae, identify tongue different

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nichole Au, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Julia Ross, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Taryn Bayles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

team. Each team is assessed using arubric with a point scale (1-4) that reflects the team’s demonstration of the sevencomponents. This includes the team’s success with following the parts of the designprocess, including defining the problem, research, brainstorming, and iterative Page 14.554.5development of a prototype. The group interaction and adherence to safety measures isalso assessed, and then finally, the functionality of the product. This student assessmentmethod is based on the guidelines laid out by the ITEA for meeting Student AssessmentStandard A-4, which states that “Assessment of student learning will reflect practicalcontexts consistent

Conference Session

Gender and Minority Issues in K-12 Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tiffany Iskander, University of Utah; Paul Gore, University of Utah; Cynthia Furse, University of Utah

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

educator, and engineering career guidance counselor and is active with the Society of Women Engineers, Junior Engineering State, Expanding your Horizons, School-to-Careers, MESA, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Page 14.644.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Gender differences in expressed interests in engineering-related fields over a 30-year span E. Tiffany Iskander1 Paul A. Gore1 Cynthia Furse2 1 Counseling Psychology Program, College

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Karen High, Oklahoma State University; Pasha Antonenko, Oklahoma State University; Rebecca Damron, Oklahoma State University; Susan Stansberry, Oklahoma State University; Gayla Hudson, Oklahoma State University; Jean Dockers, Oklahoma State University; Alonzo Peterson, Langston University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

math and science at the middle- and high-school level. Inquiry learning inscience and mathematics requires students to do more than sit and watch the teacher. It requiresthem to combine both scientific processes with content knowledge—they must use scientificreasoning and critical thinking to develop their understanding.1 Students must apply multiplecontent areas such as mathematics, reading, writing, and speaking as they work through themany layers of an engineering activity. Students must be able to ask questions, makeobservations, design and conduct investigations, use appropriate technologies in order to gatherand analyze data, utilize critical thinking skills, use evidence to develop explanations andpredictions, and communicate this

Conference Session

Enhancing K-12 STEM Education with Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amy Prevost, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Mitchell Nathan, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Benjamin Stein, University of Wisconsin; Natalie Tran, California State University, Bakersfield; Allen Phelps, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

: 1. What is the emphasis on explicitly integrating students’ conceptual understanding? Specifically, we sought to determine the frequency with which mathematics concepts arose during the lessons, assessments, and teacher training materials we analyzed, and how often these concepts were explicitly integrated (as opposed to being implicitly embedded) with the engineering activities and lessons that were the focus of the curriculum materials. From a practical perspective, this may also identify new opportunities for improving the connections between engineering knowledge and skills and the underlying mathematical concepts and procedures that are so important for transfer of knowledge and for college

Conference Session

Enhancing Recruitment and Retention in Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Deborah Hochstein, University of Memphis; Shelia Moses, University of Memphis; Daphne Jones, Memphis City Schools

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

early grades ≠ Develop programs to reduce the drop-out rate ≠ Place emphasis on math, sciences, language and critical thinkingMemphis City Schools (MCS) and Shelby County Schools (SCS) have adopted the State ofTennessee’s new Framework which centers on mathematics, science, and technology. It is“based on the notion that learning science and mathematics are better enhanced whenexperienced through active engagement of inquiry, technology, and engineering or STEMEducation.”6 See Figure 1 below. Page 14.602.3 Tennessee Vision for STEM Education

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and K-12 Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Faik Karatas, Purdue University; George Bodner, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

should be designed to helpthese teachers bring engineering into the elementary-school classroom.Background and research questions The literature on the nature of science (NOS) has suggested that students, teachers, andthe vast majority of society, in general, believe certain common myths about science, includingthe myths that scientific facts are absolute and purely objective, that there is no role for humaninterpretation or imagination in science, and that scientists have certain rigid methods to generatescientific knowledge and/or solve problems.1-5 Driver and her colleagues 6 have shown thatstudents form ideas about science, its process, and its product — scientific knowledge — beforeany formal science instruction. The students’ ideas

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tara Gomez, California Institute of Technology; Oliver Loson, California Institute of Technology; Douglas Yung, California Institute of Technology; Sindhuja Kadambi, California Institute of Technology; Paul Lee, California Institute of Technology; Luz Rivas, California Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

was an effective way to teach neuroscience.The modules we describe here, can be adapted by other educators in K-12 advanced sciencecourses as a vehicle for introducing engineering concepts or in an engineering course asdemonstratives of engineering applications in the life sciences.1. IntroductionThe increasing interdependence of science and engineering disciplines has led educators torethink the way science is taught in K-12 grades. The interdisciplinary nature of emerging Page 14.756.2science and engineering fields requires students to be able to integrate ideas from several subjectareas.1 Recent recommendations for reform have emphasized

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and K-12 Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark Sanders, Virginia Tech; Thomas Sherman, Virginia Tech; Hyuksoo Kwon, Virginia Tech; James Pembridge, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2009-2090: TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES:TEACHERS' BELIEFS AND PRACTICES IN PERSPECTIVEMark Sanders, Virginia TechThomas Sherman, Virginia TechHyuksoo Kwon, Virginia TechJames Pembridge, Virginia Tech Page 14.1170.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Technology Education in the United States: Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices in PerspectiveSince changing its name in 1985, the field/school subject known as Technology Education hasworked to transform its curriculum and teaching practice from one dominated by craft andindustry-related technologies, to “a curriculum to reflect technology.”1 Over the past threedecades

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kelly Hutchinson, Purdue University; Lynn Bryan, Purdue University; George Bodner, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

dimensions between approximately 1 to 100 nanometers, where uniquephenomena enable novel applications.”1 Many special properties occur on the nanoscale, such asoptical and magnetic properties that are dependent upon particle size.2 The development ofnanotechnology comes about through the blending of multiple science and engineeringdisciplines (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, materials engineering, chemical engineering, andbioengineering) on the nanometer scale. Because of this convergence, Foley and Hersam arguedthat the impact of nanoscale science and engineering (NSE) will be broader than any othertechnological revolution.3 It is predicted that nanotechnology will affect nearly every type ofmanufactured good over the next ten years, being

Conference Session

Robot Mania in Precollegiate Engineering Education

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alisa Gilmore, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Bing Chen, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Neal Grandgenett, University of Nebraska, Omaha

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

workshopsand follow-up sessions during the school year, with the goal of equipping teachers in hands-onengineering design principles and providing curriculum development support for STEMinstruction. The centerpiece of the training was the university-level TekBot® educationalrobotics platform developed at Oregon State University, later replaced by the CEENBoT™mobile robotics platform developed at UNL in the Computer and Electronics Engineering(CEEN) department. More than 9,000 students are expected to eventually participate in thismodel through in-school and summer programs developed by SPIRIT-trained teachers 1.This paper will describe the objectives and methodology of the SPIRIT initiative, and reportupon its initial evaluation, both quantitative and