bringing engineering into middle schools: learning science and math through guided inquiry and...
TRANSCRIPT
Bringing Engineering into Middle Schools: Learning Science and Math through Guided Inquiry and Engineering Design
Larry G. Richards
Christine Guy Schnittka University of VirginiaASEE K -12 Workshop
Chicago, IllinoisJune 16, 2006
Introductions Who are you?
Name From where? Subjects taught Teaching for how long?
Who are we?
To begin
A few questions
Name some famous scientists
Name some famous engineers
Do you know? Dean Kamen Burt Rutan Ray Kurtzweil Carver Mead Bill Gates Alan Kay Dave Kelley (IDEO)
Some major engineering achievements 20. High performance materials 19. Nuclear technologies 18. Laser and fiber optics 17. Petroleum and petrochemical
technologies 16. Health technologies
Some major engineering achievements 15. Household appliances 14. Imaging 13. Internet 12. Spacecraft 11. Highways
Some major engineering achievements 10. Air conditioning and
Refrigeration 9. Telephone 8. Computers 7. Agricultural Mechanization 6. Radio and Television
Some major engineering achievements 5. Electronics 4. Water supply and distribution 3. Airplane 2. Automobile 1. Electrification
What do scientists do?
What do engineers do?
What is engineering? What do engineers do?
Engineers design and build things.
Engineers create technology.
Engineering is different from Science.
Herb Simon
Science is the study of what is.
Engineering is the creation of what is to be.
Engineering is different from science. Science
Discovery Understanding Knowledge Natural world “The world as we
found it”
Engineering Design Creating/
producing Technology Artificial world The world we
create
Design The man-made world The creation of artifacts Adapting the environment to our
needs and desires Concern of engineers, architects,
and artists
Design as problem solving Given
Problem specification Initial conditions Constraints Standards/regulations
Find a Solution
Design is creative Design problems
Open-ended Ill-defined (vague) Multiple alternatives Generate lots of solutions
Design is Experimental and Iterative Getting it right takes many tries The first cut is rarely good enough Some designs fail Even if satisfactory, most designs
can be improved Once it works, refine it
Design cycle Requirements, problem Generate ideas Initial concept Rough design Prototype Detailed design Redesign
Design The core problem solving process
of technological development “It is as fundamental to technology
as inquiry is to science or reading is to language arts”
Serious Problems in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education
Declining enrollments in engineering programs
Numbers of women and minority students in engineering are not representative of general population
Lower science and math test scores of US high school students with respect to the rest of the industrial world
Technological illiteracy
What does it take to become an engineer? Math
Science
Creativity
VMSEEI The Virginia Middle Schools
Engineering Education Initiative (VMSEEI) will design, implement, test and evaluate “engineering teaching kits” to be used by teachers and student teachers to facilitate engineering instruction in middle schools.
Engineering Teaching Kits The engineering teaching kits
(ETKs) will allow teachers to instruct students on selected engineering concepts and procedures within the context of preexisting science and mathematics classes
Engineering Teaching Kits ETKs will include a strong focus on
design and innovation, how things work, how things are made, and the social and environmental impacts of technology.
The ETKs will involve active, hands-on, cooperative learning; students will work in teams to solve problems and design solutions.
Each ETK will include A student guide explaining key
concepts and methods A teacher’s guide Plans for demonstrations and
experiments Where appropriate a computer-
based component (such as a demonstration or simulation).
Some concerns Meeting state and national standards
(VA SOLs, Massachusetts, NCES, Benchmarks, ITEA)
Making ETKs Female Friendly Incorporating ethical, environmental,
aesthetic, cultural and social issues Conveying the excitement and
importance of engineering
Our current team Larry G. Richards: Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering Chris Schnittka: Curry School PhD Candidate Randy Bell: Curry School of Education Students
Engineering Education
Teachers from schools in Central Virginia
New senior design course: Creativity and New Product
Development Focused on the design,
implementation, and testing of ETKs
Multidisciplinary teams Fifth offering: 2006-2007
Designing experiences for Designing experiences for studentsstudents Conceptually structured Evidence-based Materials-centered Project-based Inquiry-oriented
Under Pressure
The Pressure Begins… Assemble tank Gather materials Revise and finalize lesson plans Test all activities Teacher meetings
The Tank…
Materials…
Lesson Plans and Worksheets Day 1: Density Day 2: Buoyant Force, Drag,
Propulsion Day 3: Preliminary Vehicle
Design and Construction Day 4: Testing and Revision of
Vehicle Designs Day 5: Final Testing Day
Teacher Meeting Met with Arlene
Terrell, Karen Power, and Bill Sterrett
Went over supplies needed, lesson plans, logistics
The Pressure Mounts…
Day 1: Density Coke vs. Diet
Coke intro Finding Mass and
Volume Why do things
float? Density Graph
The Pressure Continues…
Day 2: Buoyant Force, Drag, Propulsion
Forces acting on an object moving through water
Three stations, one for each concept
Buoyant Force
Illustrated apparent loss of weight when an object is submerged
A force pushes up on an object when submerged
Neutral Buoyancy
Drag
Illustrated orientation of an object in a fluid effects force on object, i.e. drag
Students timed objects moving through honey
Propulsion
Reviewed Newton’s Laws emphasizing the third law
Conducted balloon demo
Applied Pressure…
Day 3 & 4: Design and Construction of Underwater Vehicle
Introduce engineering design process and problem statement
Calculate mass and volume necessary to make submersible neutrally buoyant
Start building!
The Pressure Peaks…
Day 5: Final Competition Each team demonstrates their
vehicle’s capabilities Success is determined by
Vehicle being neutrally buoyant Ability to pass through rings
The Pressure Release…
What We Learned Emphasize engineering Uniform engineering design
process Time constraints One teacher not enough? Group Dynamics
Ra Power
Solar model car design
RECENT SIGNIFICANT SOLAR APPLICATIONS
Clockwise from top left: The UVA Solar Car Team, The UVA Solar House, The UVA Solar Airship, The International Space Station, NASA Sojourner Rover.
HOW IT WORKS
1. Light hits the Solar Cell.2. Light Energy gets converted to Electrical
Energy (Voltage and Current) through the Solar Cell.
3. The Motor converts the Electrical Energy to Mechanical Energy.
4. Directly or through Gears or Pulleys the Mechanical Energy drives the wheels.
HOW DOES A SOLAR CAR WORK?
Energy Transfer:
THE COMPETITION – “THE WORLD’S STRONGEST MODEL SOLAR CAR”
An interesting twist on the overdone solar car drag race – Students will be asked to build a car based on power rather than speed. The winning car will be the one that pulls the most weight.
Ra Power Your turn to design and build a
model solar car. Solar cells Motors Wheels Car bodies
Ra Power
Go to it!
Ra Power
The design competition
Ra Power What did you learn from this
experience?
Can you see a project like this working in your class?
Another (abbreviated) ETK Catapults In Action: Projectile motion Base structures Springs Bolts Tasks Build a catapult that can be modified
to achieve accuracy or distance.
Other ETKs The Green Team: Sustainable Design S.M.A.R.F.: Simple Machines Brainiacs: Brain tumor treatment
technology; gels and brain perfusion Destructural Mechanics: Engineering
materials and the design of structures
Other ETKs Pump – It – Up: Human circulatory
system functioning, heart disease, fluid flow, and artificial heart pumps
Alternative Energy Resources: Primarily wind power
Losing Stability: Designing and building stable floating structures
Aerospace Engineering: planes and rockets
Other ETKs Bio - Mech - a – Tek: designing devices to
achieve armfunctions
Get Stressed: building bridges from everyday materials
Sustainable House Design: construction, insulation, energy sources, water and waste management
Crane Corp: Simple Machines for complex tasks
Other ETKs Aspects of the Crash: protecting
vehicle occupants Filtering Ideas: Water Filtration HoverHoos: Hovercraft design Crash and Burn: Cars racing off a
ramp. Roller Coaster Physics: keeping
marbles on track on curves and hills Transformers: Energy Transformation
Your turn Questions???
Comments!!!
Suggestions…
Turning Projects into Products Student teams –
initial concepts and materials
Classroom trials Feedback from Students Feedback from teachers
Teacher reactions
Test environments Middle school classes
Summer Enrichment Program
Introduction to Engineering Summer Program
After school programs
Our pedagogical approach Directed inquiry Well defined concepts to be
mastered We lead the students through the
process of discovery Embedded authentic assessment Reflection
Engineering emphasis Hands-on experimentation
Lab sheets – fill in the details
Measurement, data analysis and display
Design challenge
You have seen our approach What topics in your curriculum
should we address with ETKs?
What concepts or problems can you think for which the engineering design approach makes sense?
Our sponsors Payne Family Foundation
National Science Foundation NSF – ECC – 0230609 Bridges to Engineering Education