Recently, I was asked to contribute a monthly column to the newsletter for the Boulder Area STEM Education Coalition. The name of the column currently is 360° of STEM. Each column describes a national issue, the local, Colorado perspective, and several resources. The column is limited to 150 words but appears on this page in full.
360° of STEM
Recently, stakeholders at the national level have focused their attention (and funding) on improved K-12 engineering education. Leaders of policy, industry, and post-secondary education view engineering education as a potential hub for improving student comprehension and retention of fundamental science and mathematics, creativity, and innovation. They argue that for the U.S. to maintain a position of strength and leadership in an increasingly globalized economy, we must encourage youth to understand the value and excitement of the engineering profession.
Each stakeholder community also has its own agenda for requiring all students to engage in engineering education during their formative years. The government and industry view engineers as a source of innovation. Research and development provide a foundation for the growth of industry and new jobs. Industry would rather hire locally than select foreign nationals to fill key roles. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 11% growth in job opportunities for engineers with specific fields, such as biomedical engineering, undergoing a 72% increase. Universities want incoming freshmen to consider and be academically prepared for the rigors of earning a B.S. in engineering. These stakeholders believe that adding engineering to the core K-12 disciplines—mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies—will increase the knowledge of engineering as a viable profession for a diverse population, placing it alongside medicine, the law, and teaching.
Research, and my personal experience teaching engineering design at the middle school level, suggest that students who engage in engineering design challenges develop an understanding of the profession, improve their scores on standardized tests, and better understand the application of mathematics and science to solving real-world problems. Many of my fondest teaching memories come from observing my students avidly involved in solving a design challenge that engaged their creativity, critical-thinking, and communication skills.
Flatiron Focus
At the local level, the rise of engineering education will result in several important discussions and potential changes. I view these as opportunities that will drive improvement throughout the K-12 STEM effort. Several states have already begun to develop engineering education standards. If standards exist then courses and teacher certification will follow shortly. Districts will need to identify quality engineering education instructional materials. Teachers already in the fields of mathematics and science may be charged with delivering applied courses in engineering such as engineering mathematics or engineering design and problem solving. These professionals will require training to demonstrate their ability to implement engineering education. Finding additional funding for all of these efforts, during a period of economic stress, no doubt, will present challenges. The payoff is that by increasing engineering education efforts in grades K-12, we add a dose of applied mathematics and science to their course work and plant the seed early for considering engineering and other STEM professions.
Additionally, several local organizations already have strong K-12 engineering education components. Two of note, the Integrated Teaching & Learning Program and Laboratory (ITLL) and Science Discovery, both out of the University of Colorado, Boulder, provide programs and support for K-12 engineering education to students and teachers.
NASA for Kids: Intro to Engineering
Additional Resources
· Engineering in K-12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects
o Linda Katehi, Greg Pearson, and Michael Feder Editors; Committee on K-12 Engineering Education, National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council, (2009)
· Engineering Competitions in the Middle School Classroom: Key Elements in Developing Effective Design Challenges
o Philip M. Sadler, Harold P. Coyle, Marc Schwartz, The Journal of the Learning Sciences, Janet L. Kolodner, Ed. Special: Design Education, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2000.
o Charles M. Vest, Editor, Volume 39, Number 3, Fall 2009 K-12 Engineering Education
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