Precollege Engineering Education

Catalog description

This course is intended to help experienced educators to critically understand the "E" in "STEM education." Engineering has only recently roared into state and national curriculum standards, venturing out of its traditional lair in higher education. We explore the reasons for this development, as well as the opportunities and challenges that the change presents for students and teachers. As we proceed, we draw upon the varied experiences of participants, including teachers from elementary, middle, and secondary schools, as well as informal settings such as science museums. Because few precollege STEM teachers have studied engineering formally, we review the history and nature of engineering, and work through a number of activities that model aspects of engineering work. Throughout the course, an emphasis is placed on the epistemic practices of engineering, which make the subject unique among school subjects. Contemporary relevant school curricula and informal educational programs are reviewed, and students carry out an actual design project. This course is intended for teachers, and prior formal training in design, modeling, and physics is not required.