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

engineering concepts and applications; and through an engineering design andtechnology curriculum. Similar trends were observed in both groups.Specifically, we examine the responses from a 5th grade science class and both 6th and 8th graderobotics classes, who participated in the National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored GK-12Program with Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. In each class, a doctoral candidate in anengineering discipline developed and delivered lessons and activities along with the teacher.Fellows were responsible for designing inquiry-based lessons to enhance the understanding ofscience, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts with the purpose ofinspiring students to eventually pursue engineering disciplines. In

Conference Session

Enhancing K-12 STEM Education with Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tom Benton, University of Texas, Austin; Taylor Martin, Univ of Texas at Austin

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

AC 2010-2053: SYSTEM SCAFFOLDING OF CONTENT INTEGRATION IN HIGHSCHOOL ENGINEERING AND DESIGNTom Benton, University of Texas, Austin Tom Benton received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas in 1999 and is currently a Masters student in the University's Educational Technology program. He is primarily interested in the development and study of systems that support collaboration between designers while scaffolding elements of the design process.Taylor Martin, Univ of Texas at Austin Taylor Martin received a B. A. in Linguistics and an initial teaching certification from Dartmouth College in 1992, an M.S. in Psychology from Vanderbilt University in 2000, and a Ph.D. in

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Virginia Mayfield, Monterey High School; Kenneth Currie, Tennessee Technological University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

oversimplified pieces of the process and nowthat these are known to work, the simplifications need to be removed from theprocess to reevaluate effectiveness. Most importantly, a more accurate, effective,and efficient way of evaluating cost is needed. A component of the RET experiencewas the development of a Legacy Cycle inquiry lesson unit intended to connectengineering research to high school mathematics and science curriculum standards.This poster session will focus on a mathematics legacy cycle I implemented with 32students in the 2009–10 school year. The legacy cycle featured an exploration oflinear programming, the simplex method, and very basic genetic algorithms todemonstrate to the student the various roles optimization can play throughout

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

for Engineering Education, 2010 The Enacted Curriculum: A Video Based Analysis of Instruction and Learning in High School Pre-Engineering ClassroomsAbstractEngineering excellence serves as one of the primary vehicles for technologicalinnovation, economic prosperity, national security, and advancements in public health.To address engineering preparation and appeal, technical education programs haveemerged that provide hands-on, project-based curricula that focus on the integration ofmathematics and science knowledge with engineering activities. Learning Sciencesresearch emphasizes that integration of conceptual knowledge must be made explicit tolearners to promote successful transfer of these ideas to novel problem-solving anddesign

Conference Session

Exemplary Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig Gunn, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

change in engineering education is "glacial" and needs toaccelerate greatly for American engineers to compete economically and solve society's pressingproblems.” 6 Duderstadt also offered a rather revolutionary statement when he said, “In particular,engineers should receive a liberal-arts education as undergraduates and then pursue graduatedegrees as a standard route into the profession.” 6 This belief that the liberal arts are an integral partof the engineer’s education makes the attempts to keep the focus of high school students on bothengineering and the liberal arts a compelling argument.The ProjectThe project that began our collaboration with local high schools from an arts standpoint started witha fairly standard architectural and

Conference Session

Engineering Collaboration: Faculty & Student in K-12 Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vikram Kapila, Polytechnic University; Magued Iskander, Polytechnic University; Noel Kriftcher, Polytechnic University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

, 2008.4. Gary B. Randolph, “Collaborative Learning in the Classroom: A Writing Across the Curriculum Approach,” Journal of Engineering Education, 2000, Vol. 89, 119—122.5. L. J. Shuman, M. Besterfield-Sacre, and J. McGourty, “The ABET “Professional Skills”–Can They Be Taught? Can They Be Assessed?” Journal of Engineering Education, January 2005, 41—55.6. S. Kumar and J. K. Hsiao, “Engineers Learn “Soft Skills the Hard Way”: Planting a Seed of Leadership in Engineering Classes,” Leadership and Management in Engineering, January 2007, 18—23.7. D. Shetty and R. A. Kolk, Mechatronics System Design, PWS, Boston, MA, 1997.8. C. W. de Silva, Mechatronics: An Integrated Approach, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2005.9. D. J

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Courtney Bonuccelli, Washington State University; Denny Davis, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

mathematics and science classroom incorporate hands-ontesting, creative design, and relevance to real life. Consider the notorious question asked by astudent to a teacher: “When am I ever going to use this?” Because students are naturallyinquisitive, everyone benefits when we constructively use this trait in the learning environmentand help students to answer their own questions. The purpose of this paper is to describe a lessonthat engages high school mathematics and science students in an interactive relevant engineeringdesign problem. As part of the CREAM (Culturally Relevant Engineering Applications in Mathematics)program at Washington State University, graduate students developed a lesson that revealsscience and mathematics principles

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

AC 2010-680: IDENTIFYING ENGINEERING INTEREST AND POTENTIAL INMIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: CONSTRUCTING AND VALIDATING ANINSTRUMENTMichele Strutz, Purdue University Michele L. Strutz is a 2009 NSF Graduate Research Fellow and a doctoral student in Engineering Education, with a secondary doctoral focus in Gifted and Talented Education, at Purdue University. Michele's research interests include stEm talent development and identification. Prior to completing her Masters Degrees in Gifted and Talented Education and in Curriculum and Instruction, Michele worked as an engineer for 13 years in Laser Jet Printer marketing at Hewlett Packard Co., computer systems design at Arthur Andersen & Co

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Heath Tims, Louisiana Tech University; Krystal Corbett, Louisiana Tech University; Galen Turner, Louisiana Tech University; David Hall, Louisiana Tech University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

us that they would prefer a more in-depthcurriculum that ties together application and content. The Infinity Project (www.infinity-project.org) focuses on digital electronics, allowing for a rigorous approach, but is limited to avery narrow range of topics. Teachers have indicated to us that they like the rigorous nature ofthe Infinity Project, but would prefer a broader spectrum of topics which seamlessly integratescience, engineering, and mathematics across the curriculum. “…it is very difficult to add STEM electives. … an approach which integrates STEM content within the core curriculum is significantly more viable than other, electives-based approaches. ” - Marvin Nelson, Teacher, Benton

Conference Session

Think Outside the Box! K-12 Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Henry Harms, Stevens Insititue of Technology; Mercedes McKay, Stevens Institute of Technology; Elisabeth McGrath, Stevens Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

module is based upon the integration of LED and solar technologies to produce safeand cost effective lighting for use in homes that do not have access to the electric grid. More than2 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. Students participating in the WaterPurification module will develop an understanding of this problem and be challenged to developmodel systems to meet the needs of people in specific communities.The project team developed the Introduction to Core Concepts of Systems Engineeringmodule which is used in all participating schools prior to the content specific modules describedabove. Students learn about systems and systems engineering as they reverse-engineer a commondevice that contains both electrical and

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

three activities were shared with 30 Atlanta area high school math teachers during a Centerof Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) program. Theteachers were very enthusiastic about teaching students the important economic concept oftransportation tradeoffs through the use of real life scenarios. At the program’s completion,several of the teachers eagerly asked for copies of the handouts to use in their own classrooms.ConclusionThree distinct activities, designed to use across a wide range of audiences, can be used to providemiddle school and high school students with an introduction to the field of TransportationEngineering. The activities are highly interactive and utilize group discussions to get studentsthinking

Conference Session

Thinking, Reasoning & Engineering in Elementary School

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Bedward, North Carolina State University; Eric Wiebe, North Carolina State University; Lauren Madden, North Carolina State University; James Minogue, North Carolina State University; Mike Carter, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

world. Technology design involves theapplication of knowledge to new situations or goals, resulting in the development of newknowledge 5. However, recent research has demonstrated that difficulties of effectively bringingsubstantive math and science content to bear in middle and high school pre-engineering curricula6 . These challenges for relevant math and science integration are even greater at the elementarylevel 7. With little room for new curriculum, there is a need to develop innovative instructionalstrategies that leverage existing inquiry-based science curriculum to support engineeringeducation goals. We suggest graphic-based modeling as a mediating process between inquiryscience and engineering design, providing students with a robust

Conference Session

Engineering in the Middle Grades

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Morgan Hynes, Tufts University; David Crismond, The City College of New York; Ethan Danahy, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

-0423059; seewww.LEGOengineering.com)resulting in the new Robocart curriculum. The previous curriculumhadbeenshown effective in addressing middle-school engineering standards12, where teacherswere successfully implemented it with studentsin after-school programs. The pedagogical model (see table 1 below) was used in developing the instruction andactivities for the Robocart curriculum, which sharesmany features of Bybee’s 5E pedagogicalmodel6. By building upon and improving thepreviouscurriculum, the development of theRobocart curriculum focused on making strong connections with STEM concepts, integrating theRoboBook’s data collection and display capabilities, and building formative assessmentstrategies seamlessly into the RoboBooks

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

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

. Page 15.642.2HSE is modeled after Michigan Tech’s highly successful and nationally acclaimedundergraduate Enterprise program. The Enterprise program was founded on the proposition thatthe integration of active, applied learning into the undergraduate engineering curriculum wouldresult in greater retention and graduation rates among undergraduate engineering students.Enterprise, which started in 2000 as a pilot program funded by NSF, has succeeded beyondexpectations and has proved to be a sound investment.2 It is now a self-sustaining program thatattracts engineering - and other STEM-bound students to the University, keeps them, and makesthem more marketable to employers when they graduate.In early 2006, representatives from the University, the

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

also incorporated multimedia production andnetworking technologies as an integral part of the activities. As a sociotechnical unit, socialsoftware provided a platform to conduct the activities. Social software refers to software thatallows people to connect or collaborate through computer-mediated tools. 44 The Moodleplatform was used in this intervention to allow for this computer-mediated sharing andcollaboration.The implementation of the Save the Penguins curriculum in an informal setting with underservedyouth in a rural community was a success in that students experienced engineering in the form ofplay. They came away with more positive attitudes toward engineering and asked their teachers,“When can we save more animals?”Bibliography1

Conference Session

Engineering Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

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

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

thinking, collaboration, and communication among students. Finally,further data analysis revealed that the number of PISA lessons that teachers implemented in theirclassrooms was a significant predictor of students’ test scores. In this paper, we report on theprofessional development model that we used and the results of our study.IntroductionExemplary professional development (PD) for teachers can have a positive impact on students’learning and the classroom environment. Specifically, Blank & de las Alas1 found successful PDexperiences for math teachers contributed to an increase in teachers’ subject knowledge,pedagogy, and students’ content knowledge. However, teacher PD that focuses on integratingscience and engineering in elementary

Conference Session

Women in K-12 Engineeering & Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Heath Tims, Louisiana Tech University; Jim Nelson, Louisiana Tech University; Galen Turner, Louisiana Tech University; Missy Wooley, Ruston High School; Marvin Nelson, Benton High School

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

be able to integrate technical knowledge into real-worldsituations3. Many pre-engineering outreach/recruitment programs are centered on hands-onprojects, which is one of the most important characteristics of our programs. However, while77% of K12 engineering programs in the United States focus on students, only 46% focus on theteachers4. All of the K12 programs that are a part of our Integrated STEM Education ResearchCenter (ISERC) target both high school students and teachers. While engaging high schoolstudents in relevant and interesting engineering design projects has had an immediate impact onincreasing STEM enrollments at our university, we believe long-term impact is more likely toresult from the interactions and relationships

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

technologies they see in everyday life yetthey may not have contact with adults who have the expertise to entertain their questions or theirlearning styles may be in conflict with traditional curriculum formats. For these children, anoutreach program can offer exposure to engineering skills such as analysis, development,building and testing through hands-on activities.1 The benefit of using undergraduates to developand implement engineering exhibits that addresses all facets of learning is that childrenexperience engineering in an interactive environment that is accessible regardless of learningstyle. Moreover, exposure to young, diverse role models reinforces the notion that engineering isa career path that is accessible to people regardless of

Conference Session

Thinking, Reasoning & Engineering in Elementary School

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

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

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

,engineering as an integrative method for teaching STEM is well suited as a focus for inquiry-based teaching. The integration may also have been a manifestation of the creativity andknowledge of the teachers, the nature of the elementary curriculum, and the way in which themanipulatives promote multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. Since the summerinstitute was hosted by the College of Engineering, the reason for the engineering focus mayhave rested simply on this aspect. In any case, determining the underlying reason for theteachers’ lesson content choices is an interesting possible future research question.The size of the student groups that the teachers used in their observed lessons was dominated bystudents working individually

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

and sharing curricula for their own classrooms.The workshop was designed as a learner-centered program to promote deep and meaningfullearning within the chosen Technology/Engineering curriculum strands with the followingsignificant core beliefs as a foundation: ≠ SPS teachers are experts in their classrooms ≠ The experiences and challenges of SPS teachers are valuable and important and must be validated and appreciated ≠ Workshop instructors have expertise in the subject matter, but do not have knowledge of the challenges of an SPS middle school classroom ≠ The workshop was a collaboration, not a top-down teaching experience ≠ Learning how teachers learn and teach is a

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

U.S. students in their knowledge of and theirparticipation in STEM as an area of critical concern to national security. Basic science andmathematics competence, gained in grades K-12, form the foundation of an educated, capable,technical future work force for DoD. The objective of NDEP is to support the education anddevelopment of such a future workforce by establishing a DoD-wide program to invigorate thescience and mathematics curriculum, to enhance teaching skills of science and mathematicsteachers to deliver the curriculum, and to increase the level of awareness, interest and activeparticipation of students in STEM activities, projects, and academics. The overall strategy is tohave DoD scientists and engineers partner with educational

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

-MathematicsDistrict D 23 17 40 32 33 39 4 12 349GR 5 - ScienceandTechnologyProject DescriptionEiE is meant to be integrated with a school's existing science and mathematics curriculum. Forexample, simple machine concepts such as levers, inclined planes and pulleys, are traditionallyintroduced in the 4th or 5th grade of elementary school. These concepts would still be covered inscience class but enhanced through the implementation of the "Marvelous Machines" unit of EiE.Table VI shows that District B chose to implement "Marvelous Machines" in Grade 5, butDistricts C and D implemented "Marvelous Machines" in Grade 4 because simple machineconcepts are covered in Grade 5 of District B, but in Grade 4 of

Conference Session

Exemplary Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stanley Hunley, Michigan State University; Joshua Whitman, Michigan State University; Seungik Baek, Michigan State University; Xiaobo Tan, Michigan State University; Drew Kim, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

, teamwork, engineering analysis, and cutting edge technology into asingle, integrative project. The build-and-test device used in this program is an actuatorthat simulates the action of sarcomeres (individual contractile units of muscle fibers)during muscle contraction, which demonstrates how creativity in engineering design mayinspired by phenomenon found in nature. To build the device, a group of three or fourstudents are assigned individual tasks that combine to produce a working device. Thediversity of these specific tasks also allows students to identify areas of engineering thatmay pique their interest. Furthermore, the project implements new technology in the formof electroactive polymer (EAP), which produces a motion when subject to a

Conference Session

Women in K-12 Engineeering & Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arlisa Labrie Richardson, Estrella Mountain Community College; Maria Reyes, Estrella Mountain Community College; Marge Goodman, Intel Corporation

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

.  Encourage activities that integrates science and technology learning with other disciplines,  Provide girls and young women with mentors form local campuses research facilities and corporations.2These recommendations fulfill the Hermanas conference objective of creating an encouragingstudent-centered learning environment, contextual curriculum that emphasizes exploration andcooperative learning.Belenky, Goldberger and Tarule in, Women’s Ways of Knowing, noted that women tend to beconnected knowers, where context is an important role and intuition, induction and creativity area part of the learning process. A contextual curriculum is a common theme for making thescience and engineering classroom more inclusive.7 This allows students

Conference Session

Enhancing Recruitment and Retention in Engineering

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Quamrul Mazumder, University of Michigan - Flint; Olanrewaju Aluko, University of Michigan-Flint

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

15.76.4engineering department, in conjunction with a local northwest Florida high school, initiated in ahigh school engineering program. Primary issues encountered in the program included staffing,enrollment, finance, curriculum and deployment of instruction materials. Unique solutions andmethods were applied to make the program a success4.Clarkson University involved graduate STEM students into local schools to develop anddisseminate more rigorous STEM curricula, integrated and aligned with state and local academiccontent standards and expected by postsecondary STEM disciplines5 .The University of Akron offered a six-week summer residential program to improve the runningof outreach programs to underrepresented high-school students6 that provided a series

Conference Session

Women in K-12 Engineeering & Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ari Epstein, MIT; Beverly Mire, Cambridge Youth Programs; Trent Ramsey, Cambridge Youth Programs; Karen Gareis, Goodman Research Group; Emily Davidson, MIT; Elizabeth Jones, MIT; Michelle Slosberg, MIT; Rafael Bras, MIT

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

Birmingham-Southern College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Sociology.Karen Gareis, Goodman Research Group KAREN C. GAREIS, Ph.D., is a Research Associate at Goodman Research Group, Inc., a research firm specializing in educational program evaluation. She is currently managing evaluations of several NSF-funded programs in the area of STEM education, including Terrascope Youth Radio; It’s About Discovery, an ITEST science curriculum for grades 8-10; and the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program, in which outstanding K–12 STEM teachers are placed in appropriate federal agencies such as NSF for a year. Dr. Gareis received her doctorate and M.A. in Social Psychology from

Conference Session

Best Practices in K-12 Engineering Panel

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stacy Klein-Gardner, Vanderbilt University; Marlene Aviles, Dr. Ercel Webb School # 22, Jersey City School District; Jennifer Case, East Middle School; Augusto Macalalag, Stevens Institute of Technology; John Brockway, East Middle School; Christie O'Hara, Colorado School of Mines; Michael Asheim, Colorado School of Mines; Barbara Moskal, Colorado School of Mines; Brian Lien, Princeton High School; Eugene Rutz, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

partnership included six urbandistricts in northern N.J., a science center, teacher education institution, and an engineering college.Teachers received 124 hours of continuous professional development including a two week summerinstitute, one hour monthly classroom support visits (coaching, modeling, curriculum alignment, andplanning), and three professional development days during the school year. The project is now in itsthird year.The partnership goals are to (1) increase teachers’ content knowledge in specific science topics andengineering, (2) improve the teachers’ notions of scientific inquiry, (3) increase participating teachers’preparedness in creating, adapting, and delivering inquiry-based science and engineering lessons, and(4) increase

Conference Session

Assessment of K-12 Engineering Programs & Issues

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marcelo Caplan, Columbia College

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

students’ knowledge in the topics learnedduring the course.MethodologyColumbia College Chicago is an art and media communication schools that does not offer amajor in science or engineering. The class “Science and Technology in the Arts” is taught atColumbia College Chicago as part of the Liberal Arts and Science curriculum offer by thecollege to provide the required general education credits. This course is not a requirement for anyof the majors offered at the institution. Checking the rosters from the past six years of studentsthat took this course, it is possible to see that there is not a pattern that links students’ majorswith taking the course. Students’ majors vary between the 26 majors offered by the school fromFilm and Video through

Conference Session

Women in K-12 Engineeering & Outreach Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

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

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

. Page 15.735.14Scientific Significance of the StudyWe have discerned that by engaging youth in learning, which emphasizes both utilitarian andinquiry-based motivations, the outcome leads to enhanced learning in the specified content area.The analysis from this study demonstrates the effectiveness of a technologically centereddiscovery-based curriculum on student learning. When given the chance to independentlyexplore ideas and contexts, students are capable of achieving significant learning gains in bothacademic and technology centered contexts; as such they become an empowered part of thelearning process.Care needs be taken when interpreting learning achievements resulting from inquiry-basedcurriculum. In the case of our study we found a