University of South Carolina Task Quickly draw a picture of an engineer working. Include a few...

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Task

• Quickly draw a picture of an engineer working.

• Include a few sentences that describe what the engineer is doing.

• When the time limit is reached, put your drawing out of sight.

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New Generation of Science Standards

Understanding the Emphasis on Engineering Within Science Instruction

or

Why Teaching about Engineering Within Science Instruction Is Not Another “Add-on”

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Students Should Learn How

• scientific knowledge is acquired and how scientific explanations are developed

• science is utilized, in particular through the engineering design process

• appreciate the distinctions and relationships between engineering, technology, and applications of science.

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Why Student Perceptions of Engineering Matter

• Engineering science workforce shortages, especially underrepresented minorities

• Many adult attitudes towards math and science are formed prior to and during adolescence.

• Perceptions of math and science related careers influence academic course and career decision-making

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Why Teacher Perceptions of Engineering Matter

• Correlation between teacher/student understandings

• How you understand engineering design will matter

• How well you understand your students’ conceptions of engineering will also matter

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What are middle school students’ perceptions of Engineering?

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Engineer as “Auto Mechanic”

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Uses Tools to “Fix” Things

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Especially Things That are Broken

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Or Leaking……..

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Engineer as “Repairan”

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Or a Builder

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Engineer as “Road Worker”

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Train Engineer

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Most Common Verbs

• Fix• Build/Make• Drive/Operate• Tell• Find Solution• Screw• Hammer• Mix• Install

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Key Findings

• Portray the fixing that was done by engineers as physical work

• Little emphasis on problem diagnosis or the “how to” component of fixing

• Few references to mental work such as “testing,” “researching,” or “inventing”

• Few, more accurate portrayals that an engineer is a designer or problem-solver

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So….

• How do I help my students better understand what engineers do?

• How do I show that engineers apply scientific knowledge to solve problems?

• How can I do this while also teaching about my science standards?

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Task

• The water shortage crisis is a top international issue. As a citizen of Lackaqua, this issue especially impacts you. Your country has experienced a lengthy drought, water is virtually impossible to find. You also live in an isolated region where no water supply lines or systems are available.

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• Important facts about Lackaqua:– Lackaqua is a dry region with little

vegetation. – There is one large lake, Lake Brackishma,

that contains water contaminated by a local mining operation. The water is not healthy for humans to drink.

– Because there is little vegetation, there is also little firewood. Thus, using fire to distill brackish water in not an option available to Lackaquanians.

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Task (contniued)

• Fortunately, the international community has reached out to you and sent you some equipment you may be able to use to help you obtain water.

• You will have to use the available equipment, and your scientific knowledge, to design a system that will allow you to collect water.

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• Although Lackaqua received many supplies, we only received a limited number of larger pieces of building material. Thus, the international humanitarian aid organization is limiting the number of pieces of building material each group may receive (1).

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Equipment packages we have include:

– Building Material 1• Large pieces of plastic donated by FEMA

– Building Material 2• Empty 2-liter bottles donated by an international

beverage company

– Other Supplies• Cups• Tape• Straws• Vegetation• Brackish water

•

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Task

• Create a schematic drawing, that would use only the equipment available, of a system that you think would allow you to obtain water.

• The design should include both – a drawing and – narrative explaining how the model will work.

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Model Revision

• After designing your model, gather the materials needed and construct a model of your design.

• Prepare to share the model with other engineers.

• Once you have seen the models designed by other groups, return to your small groups and discuss any alterations you want to make to your own model.

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• In small groups, discuss:– the science concepts you potentially could

address within this activity sequence– the types of thinking required to complete the

task– processes students would need to use in

order to successfully complete this task

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• Connections to document (text)

• Design and redesign

• Similarities and differences between science and engineering practices

• Math and Science Across Cultures

• Return to positive results from GK12