Pre-service Teachers' Modeling as a Way of Thinking in Engineering Design

Matthew D. Lammi; Cameron Denson

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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: Pre-Service Development Initiatives
Tagged Division: K-12 & Pre-College Engineering
Page Count: 21
Page Numbers: 23.972.1 - 23.972.21
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--22357
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/22357
Download Count: 849

Paper Authors

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Matthew D. Lammi North Carolina State University

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Dr. Lammi is an assistant professor in the Department of STEM Education.

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Cameron Denson North Carolina State University

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Abstract

Realizing Engineering Design through Modeling ArtifactsThe case for infusing engineering - specifically engineering design - into K-12 settingshas been made by educators and policy makers. Yet determining how engineering designwill be operationalized in K-12 settings is still a subject of great contention. Onepedagogical approach to assist not only the student, but the teacher as well, inengineering design is the focus on modeling artifacts. Modeling artifacts are the outputsgenerated throughout the engineering design process. We discuss in this paper how pre-service teachers approached and engaged in engineering design through the analysis ofthe modeling artifacts they produced.The case studied in this research included 40 pre-service teachers in a Technology,Engineering, & Design (TDE) Education program. Although the students had experiencein design and graphic communications, they had not previously engaged in engineeringdesign. While in teams of three, the students were tasked with designing an engineeringsolution to an assistive technology problem. Data were collected in multiple formats suchas student-generated artifacts, reflective interviews, and weekly journal entries. Thedifferent modeling artifacts produced were conceptual, graphical, mathematical, andworking. The data analysis was performed simultaneously with the data collection. Thisinvolved recurring analysis and triangulation of the different sources of data as well astheir emerging results. These analyses yielded new themes and phenomena aroundengineering design.The results suggest that pre-service teachers are able to engage in engineering design.The students were readily able to produce conceptual, graphical, and working models.However, the students struggled to produce mathematical models and make designdecisions. The students often expressed apprehension in connecting the abstract to theconcrete. There was also a strong propensity on the part of the students to approach theproject as a technician without considering engineering design methods. Nevertheless,when the students were encouraged to reflect and justify their designs, they exhibitedengineering design behavior and thinking. This study provides insight into an emergentpedagogical approach for engaging high school students in engineering design. The studyalso highlights potential challenges in-service teachers may face when endeavoring tointroduce engineering design in their classroom.

Citation
Format

Lammi, M. D., & Denson, C. (2013, June), Pre-service Teachers' Modeling as a Way of Thinking in Engineering Design Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--22357

TY - CPAPER
AB - Realizing Engineering Design through Modeling ArtifactsThe case for infusing engineering - specifically engineering design - into K-12 settingshas been made by educators and policy makers. Yet determining how engineering designwill be operationalized in K-12 settings is still a subject of great contention. Onepedagogical approach to assist not only the student, but the teacher as well, inengineering design is the focus on modeling artifacts. Modeling artifacts are the outputsgenerated throughout the engineering design process. We discuss in this paper how pre-service teachers approached and engaged in engineering design through the analysis ofthe modeling artifacts they produced.The case studied in this research included 40 pre-service teachers in a Technology,Engineering, &amp; Design (TDE) Education program. Although the students had experiencein design and graphic communications, they had not previously engaged in engineeringdesign. While in teams of three, the students were tasked with designing an engineeringsolution to an assistive technology problem. Data were collected in multiple formats suchas student-generated artifacts, reflective interviews, and weekly journal entries. Thedifferent modeling artifacts produced were conceptual, graphical, mathematical, andworking. The data analysis was performed simultaneously with the data collection. Thisinvolved recurring analysis and triangulation of the different sources of data as well astheir emerging results. These analyses yielded new themes and phenomena aroundengineering design.The results suggest that pre-service teachers are able to engage in engineering design.The students were readily able to produce conceptual, graphical, and working models.However, the students struggled to produce mathematical models and make designdecisions. The students often expressed apprehension in connecting the abstract to theconcrete. There was also a strong propensity on the part of the students to approach theproject as a technician without considering engineering design methods. Nevertheless,when the students were encouraged to reflect and justify their designs, they exhibitedengineering design behavior and thinking. This study provides insight into an emergentpedagogical approach for engaging high school students in engineering design. The studyalso highlights potential challenges in-service teachers may face when endeavoring tointroduce engineering design in their classroom.
AU - Matthew D. Lammi
AU - Cameron Denson
CY - Atlanta, Georgia
DA - 2013/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Pre-service Teachers' Modeling as a Way of Thinking in Engineering Design
UR - https://peer.asee.org/22357
DO - 10.18260/1-2--22357
ER -