Engineers: Creating the World that Never Was

1. Engineers: Creating the World that Never Was National Charter Schools Conference July 1, 2013 Dr. Anne Spence Mechanical Engineering

2. NAE, 2009 NAE Committee on K-12 Engineering Education • Engineering in K-12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects • Chaired by Dr. Linda Katehi, UC Davis • Published by NAE 2009

3. NAE, 2009 The Case for K-12 Engineering Education • Improved learning and achievement in science and mathematics • Increased awareness of engineering and the work of engineers • Understanding of and the ability to engage in engineering design • Interest in pursuing engineering as a career • Increased technological literacy

4. NAE, 2009 General Principles for K-12 Engineering Education • K-12 engineering education should emphasize engineering design • K-12 engineering education should incorporate important and developmentally appropriate mathematics, science, and technology knowledge and skills • K-12 engineering education should promote engineering habits of mind

5. NAE, 2009 Emphasize engineering design • Highly iterative • Open to the idea that a problem may have multiple solutions • Meaningful context for learning scientific, mathematical and technological concepts • Stimulus to systems thinking, modeling and analysis

6. Reflection • How does your current teaching of science, mathematics and technology in K-12 emphasize engineering design?

7. NAE, 2009 Mathematics, science, and technology • Science concepts and inquiry methods support engineering design activities • Mathematical concepts and computational methods support engineering design activities in analysis and modeling • Technology and technological concepts • Illustrate the outcomes of engineering design • Provide opportunities for “reverse engineering” activities • Encourage consideration of social, environmental, and other impacts of engineering design decisions

8. NAE, 2009 Promote engineering habits of mind • Systems thinking • Creativity • Optimism • Collaboration • Communication • Attention to ethical considerations

9. Reflection • How does your current teaching of science, mathematics and technology in K-12 emphasize engineering habits of mind?

10. NAE, 2009 The Scope of K-12 Engineering Education • Student exposure to engineering-related course work • First formal programs in the early 1990’s • Fewer than 6 million students have had some kind of formal engineering education • In 2008, 56 million students in K-12 • Teachers involved in K-12 engineering education • 18,000 have received pre- or in-service professional development to teach engineering-related course work • Small number of inititiatives

11. NAE, 2009 Impacts of K-12 Engineering Education • Improved performance in related subjects such as science and mathematics • Increase technological literacy • Improvements in school attendance and retention • Better understanding of what engineers do • Increase in number of students who pursue careers in engineering • WARNING: limited reliable data available to support claims

12. NAE, 2009 The Nature of K-12 Engineering Education • Curriculum content • Curriculum connections • Professional development programs • Diversity

13. Reflection • How do you tackle the issue of curriculum connections in K-12?

14. NAE, 2009 Policy and Program Issues • Ad hoc infusion into existing science, mathematics, and technology curricula • Willingness of teachers • Access to instructional materials • Stand alone courses • Electives or replace existing science or technology course • Extensive teacher professional development • Fully integrated STEM education • Changes in structure and practice of schools

15. STEM Standards Engineering Habits of Mind • Collaboration – peer review; team assessments • Optimism – reflect on opportunities • Communication – oral; written; within teams • Creativity – develop brainstorming skills • Attention to ethical consideration – teams consider impact of designs

16. STEM Standards Engineering Design Process • Apply process in interdisciplinary problem solving • Use models in multiple subject areas • Incorporate alternative viewpoints

17. STEM Standards Systems Thinking • Explain how parts relate to each other, and how parts, or combination of parts, contribute to the function of the system as a whole (Elementary) • Analyze how the individual parts function, how parts relate to each other, and how parts, or combinations of parts, contribute to the function of the system as a whole (Middle) • Analyze the relationships among systems that are embedded within larger technological, social, natural, environmental, etc. systems (High)

18. STEM Standards Problem Solving • Students apply multiple-solution approaches to problems to eliminate extraneous information • Teachers generate problems that require the elimination of extraneous information and the identification of assumptions to arrive at solutions • Students analyze problems to identify interdisciplinary solutions to global issues.

19. Reflection • How do you approach problem solving in K-12? • Is it a method? • Is all information given?

20. Teacher Preparation Effective Teacher Preparation and Professional Development • Content professionals teach courses • Introduce engineering principles • Focus on the design process • Make science/mathematics connections • Conduct ongoing training • Train counselors

21. Teacher Preparation Preparation of K-12 Teachers • Elementary school teachers • Very little science and mathematics • No introduction to engineering • Secondary teachers • BS/BA in discipline (mathematics/science) • Technology education • Few mathematics and science skills • Cannot connect engineering to science and mathematics

22. Teacher Preparation Innovative Preparation of K-12 Teachers at UMBC • Elementary school teachers • Elementary STEM Education program • Cross-disciplinary • More courses in mathematics/science • Introduction to engineering • Secondary teachers • BS Engineering and Technology Education • Mathematics through differential equations • Physics and chemistry • Statics, mechanics, fluids, design

23. Curriculum Middle and high school curriculum • Mathematics and science • English and social studies • Foreign language • Technology education • No longer wood shop/metal shop • Not always making math/science connections

24. Curriculum Engineering in the Curriculum: Middle and High School • Requires trained teachers • Satisfies Technology Education requirements • Challenging to find quality teachers • Example programs • Project Lead the Way • Engineering by Design (ITEEA) • The Infinity Project • INSPIRES • Others?

25. Curriculum Example: Project Lead the Way Curriculum • Project and problem based learning • Curriculum tied to national standards in science, mathematics, technology education • Middle school – 6 units • High school – 4 year program • Co-requisite mathematics • College credit for engineering • National college credit exams

26. 100 Seniors in PLTW® 80 courses 60 Average Seniors 40 80% say they will study engineering, technology, or computer science 20 0 College Going Rate Curriculum Over 97% of seniors in PLTW® courses plan to attend a university, college, or community college, compared with 67% for average seniors. True Outcomes Annual Assessment Report 2007-2008

27. Curriculum Engineering Outside the Curriculum: Middle and High School • Encourages professional mentors • Example programs • FIRST Robotics • VEX Robotics • Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) • Future City • ACE Mentor Program

28. Curriculum Engineering in the Curriculum: Elementary School • Teachers are intimidated by concepts • Design process can be simplified • Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are more easily integrated • Early exposure to engineering careers • Example programs • Engineering is Elementary (MOS) • Children Designing and Engineering (TCNJ)

29. Curriculum Example: Engineering is Elementary Curriculum • Promote learning and teaching of engineering and technology • Research based curricular materials for grades 1-5 • Integrate engineering and technology concepts and skills with elementary science lessons • Storybooks, lesson plans

30. EiE Research Findings • EiE students • Are more likely to identify engineering items related to the design of all types of technology • Have a better understanding of the engineering design process • Have a better understanding of what a process is and how it is a type of technology

31. EiE Research Findings • Teachers strongly agree that • EiE units are well designed • EiE units fit into the required curriculum rather than being another thing to teach • EiE units are well matched to the level of the students • EiE units work well with all students • EiE units have changed the way that they teach

32. Curriculum Engineering Outside the Curriculum: Elementary School • Encourages professional mentors • Example programs • FIRST LEGO League • Jr. FIRST LEGO League • Engineering Challenges (BMI) • Sea Perch (MIT)

33. If we build it, will they come?

34. Students History has shown • Most engineering majors have a family member who is an engineer • Few women are interested • Engineering is often not portrayed as a viable career • We must change the message …

35. Students Changing the Conversation (NAE) • Engineers make a world of difference • Life takes engineering • The power to do • Because dreams need doing

36. Reflection • How will you incorporate engineering education in your teaching?

37. http://www.egfi-k12.org/

38. Clicking on For Teachers

39. http://www.engineergirl.org/

40. http://www.teachengineering.org

41. Contact Information • Dr. Anne Spence • Dept of Mechanical Engineering • UMBC • aspence@umbc.edu • 410-455-3308