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Bringing Engineering to Life in High SchoolAn online tutorial for high school teachers

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1. Why Teach Engineering?2. Engineering Myths and Truths3. The EDP (Engineering Design

Process)4. Classroom Connections5. Engineering SuggestionsSECTIONS

OF THIS TUTORIAL

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You be a better teacher Your students be better learners

ENGINEERING CAN HELP

WHY TEACHENGINEERING?

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Engineering offers a practical, efficient way to teach STEM. It also showcases the interconnectedness of

math, science, technology, and engineering

helps students see the relevance of these subjects to their own lives

WHY TEACHENGINEERING?

WHY TEACHENGINEERING?

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Engineering often improves learning and student achievement in science and math.

Source: Why Use Engineering in Education?” National Academy of Engineering

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Emphasize of engineering equally with science to underscore its importance to K–12 education.

WHY TEACHENGINEERING?

Next Generation Science Standards

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The E in STEM pulls it all together.

WHY TEACH ENGINEERING?

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Doing engineering inspires more students than you might expect to consider a STEM career.

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Engineering is a versatile, lucrative career on the forefront of solving the world’s problems and making life better. The more high school students understand about engineering, the more they will consider it as a career path.WHY TEACH

ENGINEERING?

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High school is a critical time to teach engineering. It can be transformative for both you and your students.

WHY TEACHENGINEERING?

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Next, high school math teacher Todd Matia is going to share his experiences.

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MYTH

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

Engineers sit alone behind a desk and do math calculations all day.

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Engineering Myths and Truths

Engineers work in teams and are constantly on the go—holding design meetings, reviewing specs with clients, testing or inspecting new equipment.

TRUTH

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

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Engineering is the domain of nerdy guys.

MYTH

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

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ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

The face of engineering is changing fast as more students discover it as a great career.

TRUTH

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Engineering is basically the same thing as science, and you’re already teaching science.

MYTH

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

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They are different and complementary… Science answers questions through

experimentation. Engineering solves problems through

design.

TRUTH

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

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Science is familiar and you know how to teach it, but engineering is foreign territory.

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

MYTH

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Science and engineering overlap. The both involve… developing and using models refining a solution to a real-world

problem using mathematical representations

of phenomena

TRUTH

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

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Engineering Myths and Truths

Engineering is dry and pragmatic, focused on facts and numbers. It’s not imaginative or artistic.

ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

MYTH

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ENGINEERING MYTHS AND TRUTHS

TRUTHEngineers use their creativity and analytical skills to invent, design, and build things that matter. By finding imaginative and practical solutions, engineers are changing the world all the time.

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THE EDP

The engineering design process (EDP) is at the heart of all engineering.

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THE EDP

This next example illustrates what the EDP looks in a high school classroom.

TENNIS ANYONE? ACTIVITY Your ChallengeDesign a racket out of everydaymaterials and use it to hit aping-pong ball against a target.

Materials Include• Velcro ping-pong ball• Target board• Wire• Paper towel tubes• Tape• Pipe Cleaners

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THE EDPThe ProblemMake a racket that hits a ping pong ball against a target several times.

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THE EDPThe Specs• Use only the listed

materials.• The racket is strong enough

to make the ball stick when it hits the target.

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THE EDPBrainstorm• Discuss tennis racket

designs• Examine properties of

materials• Explore potential solutions

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THE EDPDesign• Choose one idea• Sketch it• Discuss how it will work• Look for potential

problems

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THE EDPBuild• Designs will evolve• It’s a messy, loud stage• It’s worth it…it makes

engineering come to life!

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THE EDP

• Set up testing zone• Record results • Redesign to improve• Add requirements for kids

who need more of a challenge

Test, Improve, Redesign

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THE EDPShare It!• Students present their

solutions• Discuss what worked, what

didn’t• Say what they liked about

each other’s designs

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Engineers move back and forth among these steps. They might share results at any point, for example, and use feedback to go back to brainstorming.

THE EDP

The Process

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Students will try to skip steps, like design, and go right to build. When planning, decide how much time students will spend on each step. You’ll also notice that some activities emphasize certain steps more than others.

TIP

THE EDP

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Engineering design process

Scientific inquiry

Project-based learning

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

Three Teaching Methods

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Creativity Communication Critical Thinking Collaboration

Share Key Characteristics

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In all three approaches, the teacher becomes a guide and trouble shooter, rather than main conveyor of information.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

STUDENTS LEARN BY DOING

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The second part of the formula iscombining the messages with a

hands–on activityLearning by doing helps students understand why failure is such an important part of the process.

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Todd, the teacher you met earlier, uses engineering to teach project management as well.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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See how it helps his students manage lengthy, big projects and allows him to concentrate on content and troubleshooting.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

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How do you turn engineering into something you can do in a high school classroom, on a tight schedule?

YOU’VE SEEN THE BENEFITS . . .

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

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Start by integrating engineering activities into an existing math or science class.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

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CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

Hands-on activities are a great way to bring engineering into your classroom.

Find activities at DiscoverE.org

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You may also offer a whole course on engineering. Predesigned curricula are available from vendors such as… Project Lead the Way Paxton/Patterson STEM Learning System

s STEM 101

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

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Some schools start engineering academies. NAF, for example, has a high school engineering academy.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

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ENGINEERING SUGGESTIONS

There are many other ways to expose high school students to engineering.

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CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

An afterschool engineering club gives students time to delve deep.

Check out:ASCE Civil Engineering Club

IDEA 1

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ENGINEERING SUGGESTIONS

Invite students to participate in engineering contests, like….

CyberPatriot InvenTeams Vex Robotics

IDEA 2

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ENGINEERING SUGGESTIONS

Discuss how to incorporate engineering into the high school curriculum with your professional learning community or grade-level team.

IDEA 3

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ENGINEERING SUGGESTIONS

Invite engineers into your classroom. They can help with a project and talk about their careers.

IDEA 4

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ENGINEERING SUGGESTIONS

Local university Local chapters of engineering

societies Local engineering companies

FIND GUEST ENGINEERS

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Ask students to watch, listen, or read a news article about a problem in their community that engineers are solving.

ENGINEERING SUGGESTIONS

IDEA 5

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Visit DiscoverE to see what kinds of engineering events you would like to participate in with your students!

ENGINEERING SUGGESTIONS

IDEA 6

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That’s it! You’re ready to bring engineering alive for your students.

How are you going to begin?

Funding for this training was provided by: