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Math, Engineering, and Science: Applications for Grades 4-8

Mary M. Hofle, Ken W. Bosworth College of Engineering, Idaho State University

Abstract: We present what we believe is a novel outreach program providing grade 4-8 math teachers a “grade-appropriate” exposure to real-world engineering and science situations, and how the mathematics they teach has real, interesting, and fun applications. The project originated in the spring of 2004, and culminated in a week-long mid-summer workshop attended by some 25 grade 4-8 math teachers from several local SE Idaho school districts. We present our motivation for developing this program, an overview of the structure of the workshop and topics covered, a description of the resource materials developed for use by the workshop participants in their respective classrooms, and follow-up school visits by ISU College of Engineering student- faculty teams. We conclude the paper with our thoughts on future extensions and improvements in this program.

Motivation for the project: It has been nationally recognized, and well documented, that the United States is facing a looming shortage of citizen engineers and scientists in the coming decades.1 Since the Second World War, the US has relied on “technological innovation” in preserving our preeminent stand in the world economy, and in ensuring our own security. The basis for this technological superiority has been our ability to train and retain engineers and scientists. However, over the past decade (at the very least), more and more college bound students are opting for careers outside the realm of engineering and science. In recognition of this, the National Science Foundation has instituted programs meant to make the choice of engineering and science as a college major more attractive and financially affordable; e.g. the CSEMS Scholarship Program, available at many colleges and universities.2

In our opinion, waiting until a student is enrolled in college to entice him or her into engineering or science is too late. Without the proper high school math background, students deciding on engineering or science careers when arriving at college will often face one or more years of remedial work (mainly mathematics preparation for calculus). This clearly does not apply to all universities: highly selective institutions probably don't admit students without the necessary high school preparation. However, many state universities and colleges operate under a mandated “open-admissions” policy: any state resident student with a valid, in-state high school graduation diploma or certificate must be admitted (our university is one such institution).

A trend in recent years in high schools is to allow students more freedom in their course of study. This is in contrast to the situation prevalent 30 or more years ago, when “college-bound” students took a more or less fixed sequence of college preparatory courses leading up to, but not necessarily including calculus. Unless high school guidance counselors and their career planning materials stress a proper mathematics and science background training, students will opt for less strenuous and more “enjoyable” courses, arriving at college unprepared for a major in science or

“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”

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Hofle, M., & Bosworth, K. (2005, June), Math, Engineering, And Science; Applications For Grades 4 8 Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14206