Developing Engineering Content for K-12 STEM Classrooms by Providing a Hands-On Engineering Design Experience for Teachers: A Case Study

摘要

The integration of engineering content in K-12 math and science subjects has been a growing phenomenon. Because of the strong connections that can be established between engineering, math and science, several studies have been conducted and have reported on the positive implications of engineering education in K-12 classroom settings. Such benefits include: (i) an increased student motivation to learn math and science concepts, (ii) an increased student learning and achievements in math and science, and (iii) an increased interest in pursuing a career in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field. There have been several proposed strategies for infusing engineering content in K-12 math and science subjects. These strategies could be cast into two categories. In the first category, engineering is introduced to K-12 classrooms as a unique discipline and engineering contents are often offered as pre-packages courses, often without the involvement of teachers in the engineering content development phase. In the second category, engineering content is embedded in required math and science subjects. Both approaches have their merits. While there is an ongoing effort in the nation to increase K-12 math and science teachers' content knowledge, it is important to recognize that teachers can potentially become more confident to teach challenging concepts and know how to relate them to real-world engineering applications if they participate in a professional development program that gives them the opportunity to experience engineering.