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A Framework for Implementing Quality K-12 Engineering Education

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Conference

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Atlanta, Georgia

Publication Date

June 23, 2013

Start Date

June 23, 2013

End Date

June 26, 2013

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

NSF Grantees' Poster Session

Tagged Topic

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Page Count

21

Page Numbers

23.46.1 - 23.46.21

DOI

10.18260/1-2--19060

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/19060

Download Count

786

Paper Authors

biography

Tamara J Moore University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-7956-4479

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Dr. Tamara J. Moore is the executive co-director of the STEM Education Center and associate professor of Mathematics/Engineering Education at the University of Minnesota. Her research and teaching pursuits are situated in the learning and teaching of STEM fields through the integration of these subjects in formal and non-formal learning environments. Her particular focus is how engineering and engineering thinking promote learning in K-12 mathematics and science classrooms, as well as in higher-education engineering classrooms through the paradigm of STEM integration. She is creating and testing innovative, interdisciplinary curricular approaches that engage students in developing models of real world problems/solutions and working with educators to shift their expectations and instructional practice to facilitate effective STEM integration.

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Aran W Glancy University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Aran W. Glancy is a graduate research assistant at the University of Minnesota pursuing a Ph.D. in STEM Education with an emphasis in Mathematics Education. He received his M.Ed. in Science Education (Physics) from Lehigh University. Prior to enrolling at the University of Minnesota, Aran spent six years as a high school mathematics teacher and two years as a high school science teacher. His research interests include STEM integration, modeling, and computational thinking.

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Kristina Maruyama Tank University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Kristina is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota majoring in Science Education with a supporting field in Literacy Education. She is a former elementary teacher, and her research interests include improving children’s science and engineering learning and increasing teachers’ use of effective STEM instruction in the elementary grades. More recently, her research has focused on using literacy to support scientific inquiry, engineering design and STEM integration.

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Jennifer Anna Kersten University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Micah S Stohlmann University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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Dr. Micah Stohlmann is an assistant professor of Mathematics/STEM education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research interests include mathematical modeling, STEM integration, and pedagogical content knowledge.

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Forster D. Ntow University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Forster D. Ntow had all his educational experiences, from elementary to graduate, in Ghana. He pursued a B.Ed and M.Phil in Mathematics Education. Currently, Ntow is pursuing a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education at the University of Minnesota. He has had teaching experiences at the elementary and high schools levels. Ntow's research interests include teaching mathematics in diverse classrooms, STEM education with emphasis on use of mathematics ideas, and role of language in concept acquisition in mathematics.

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Karl A Smith University of Minnesota & Purdue University, West Lafayette

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Dr. Karl A. Smith is emeritus professor of Civil Engineering, Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching professor, executive co-director of the STEM Education Center, and director of Graduate Studies Infrastructure Systems Management and Engineering at the Technological Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota. He is also Cooperative Learning professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University's School of Engineering Education. Karl has been actively involved in engineering education research and practice for over forty years and has worked with thousands of faculty all over the world on pedagogies of engagement, especially cooperative learning, problem-based learning, and constructive controversy. He is a fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education and past chair of the Educational Research and Methods Division. He served on the Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research that produced the National Research Council Report, Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering. He has written eight books including How to Model It: Problem solving for the computer age; Cooperative learning: Increasing college faculty instructional productivity; Strategies for energizing large classes: From small groups to learning communities; and Teamwork and project management, 4th Ed.

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Abstract

A Framework for Implementing Quality K-12 Engineering EducationRecent national documents have laid the foundation for the highlighting the connection betweenscience, technology, engineering and mathematics at the K-12 level1-2. However, there is not aclear definition or a well-established tradition of what constitutes a quality engineering educationat the K-12 level3. At the college level, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology(ABET) has guided the development of engineering programs through its accreditation process,but there is no similar process at the K-12 level. As a result, we are left with a number ofquestions about the best methods by which to effectively teach engineering at the K-12 level andhow that plays into the integration of the other STEM disciplines. The purpose of the currentwork has been the development of a framework for describing and evaluating engineeringstandards at the K- 12 level in order to help further our understanding and the development ofrobust engineering and STEM standards and initiatives.The framework presented in this paper and poster is the result of a research project focused onunderstanding and identifying the ways in which teachers and schools implement engineeringand engineering design in their classrooms. The development of the benchmarks that areincluded in the framework were determined based on an extensive review of the literature,established criterion for undergraduate and professional organizations, document contentanalysis of state academic content standards in science, mathematics and technology and inconsultation with experts in the fields of engineering and engineering education. The frameworkis designed to be used as a tool for evaluating the degree to which academic standards, curricula,and teaching practices address the important components of a quality K-12 engineeringeducation. Additionally, this framework can be used to guide the development and structure offuture K-12 engineering and STEM education standards and initiatives. In this regard, theframework is meant to serve as a benchmark for what constitutes a quality K-12 engineeringeducation.This paper and poster will present the final version of the K-12 framework and the analysis ofthe state academic standards with our K-12 framework with a focus on science and mathematicsstandards. These results will give a more complete picture of the current status of K-12engineering education and provide a better understanding of the ways in which teachers andschools implement engineering and engineering design in their classrooms as we look towardsthe future of STEM and STEM integration at the K-12 level.References1. National Research Council. (2009). Engineering in K-12 education: Understanding the status and improving the prospects. National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. Washington, DC: The National Academies.2. National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.3. Chandler, J., Fontenot, A.D., & Tate, D. (2011). Problems associated with a lack of cohesive policy in K-12 pre-college engineering. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research, 1(1), 40-48.

Moore, T. J., & Glancy, A. W., & Tank, K. M., & Kersten, J. A., & Stohlmann, M. S., & Ntow, F. D., & Smith, K. A. (2013, June), A Framework for Implementing Quality K-12 Engineering Education Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--19060

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