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Module 2-Innovating in STEM

Engineering is the process of designing and creating objects to solve problems and meet human needs. While not always emphasized in education, engineering instruction is growing. A new practice introduces engineering habits and contact with real engineers to teachers. This provides context and improves comfort with teaching engineering. Using LEGO robotics allows students to apply STEM skills through hands-on problem solving. Students design, build, program and test robots to complete tasks, bridging the different STEM fields.

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Brett Overgaard
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221 views

Module 2-Innovating in STEM

Engineering is the process of designing and creating objects to solve problems and meet human needs. While not always emphasized in education, engineering instruction is growing. A new practice introduces engineering habits and contact with real engineers to teachers. This provides context and improves comfort with teaching engineering. Using LEGO robotics allows students to apply STEM skills through hands-on problem solving. Students design, build, program and test robots to complete tasks, bridging the different STEM fields.

Uploaded by

Brett Overgaard
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Engineering: The Big E in STEM

Brett M. Overgaard
American College of Education
Modern Learning and Integrated Science Education: SCI5223
z Professor Debbie Huffine
July 24, 2022
What is the field of
z

Engineering?
According to the National Assessment Governing
Board’s 2018 Frameworks, Engineering is “a
systemic and often
z iterative approach to
designing objects, processes, and systems to
meet human needs and wants.” This means that
anything that is designed or created in order to
make human lives easier, or to solve a problem is
a product of engineering. Engineering is an ever
growing field of STEM, and though most people
have never taken an engineering course, it is the
fastest growing field in STEM.
Instructional Practices in
z

Engineering:
Engineering has not always been a focus in
education, and in many cases today, is still not
considered a focus. Often times Engineering would
be taught as a problem for science and math to
solve. Engineering
z was also thought of as the
same as technology, as the difference between
technology and engineering has been blurred.
It was also discovered that many new teachers did
not feel confident teaching engineering practices to Science is often thought of as teachers
students. Due to this, there has been a new instructing and students learning facts,
instructional practice introduced to new teachers to but the art of engineering requires more
support their needs to teach engineering (Hanson et hands on problem solving, rather than
al., 2021). lectures.
Present and Future Instructional
z

Practices in Engineering:
 A new strategy was used in a study in the United Kingdom they combined two techniques. First, they
introduced Engineering Habits of Mind, or EHoM, to the teachers and the students. The teachers would
praise the students when they noticed they were using any of the EHoM’s. (Hanson et al., 2021).
 Systems Thinking

 Problem Finding

 Creative Problem-Solving

 Visualizing

 Adapting

 Improving
Present and Future Instructional
z

Practices in Engineering: Continued


 After students and teachers were introduced to the EHoM’s the next step is to introduce the students
and teachers to real life practicing engineers. The introduction of real life engineers makes students
and teachers feel more comfortable with the idea of engineering and how it effects their every day life
(Hanson et al., 2021).

 It is thought that teachers lack of exposure to engineering leads them to feel inadequate to
teach the subject. They are also held back by their lack of interactions with actual engineers.

 Even brief contact with engineers can expand teachers’ understanding of engineering as well
as make STEM classroom activities appear more interesting with a real world connection
(Hanson et al., 2021).
z
Building and Design Innovation: LEGO
Robotics
 Students will use LEGO Mindstorms on their
Chromebooks to program their own robot.

 Before students are able to program their robot


they will have to design a robot as a group that
will be able to complete required tasks, such
as moving boxes from one spot to another, or
following a path on the ground.

 Students will have to work together to solve


the problems provided. Each group will have
the same LEGO pieces to complete each task,
though they may come up with multiple
solutions for each task.

 Students will use code to program their robots


to achieve each task. Each student may be
able to write their own activity on their
Chromebook, and upload them to the robot.
Why LEGO Robotics? What are the benefits? Is it
better
z than what is currently used?
 LEGO Robotics allows the students to be creative, and
innovative while solving real life problems.

 Students get to use coding skills, and see them in use


right in front of their eyes. If the robot does not complete
the task intended they may go back and correct their
code in real time and watch it correct their mistakes the
next time.

 Students use technology they may have never been


exposed to. A few students use these robots in after
school program, but that is less than 5% of students.

 The engineering, design projects that we have used in


the past include building a shadow tracker, and also
making a water filter to clean dirty water. Though the
students enjoy those activities they will enjoy using
technology in their process of problem solving even
more!

 After talking to a real engineer the teacher may be able


to come up with good real life problems for the students
to work on with their robots.
z
Can LEGO Robotics help bridge the STEM
fields together?
 Yes, LEGO Robotics is very STEM friendly,
and I would suggest it brings all the fields
together.

 It requires engineering, as the students must


design and build their robots.

 It requires Technology because it is a robot


that is controlled by the code put together by
the students using their Chromebooks.

 There is science all around, especially in the


problem solving aspect of the project.

 Mathematics is necessary to make sure the


robots can follow a path, and make turns
when necessary to complete a task. Students
rely on correct measurements to be
successful.
z
Sources

 Hanson, J. R., Hardman, S., Luke, S., & Lucas, B. (2021). Developing pre-
service primary teachers’ understanding of engineering through engineering
habits of mind and engagement with engineers. International Journal of
Technology and Design Education, 32(3), 1469–1494.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-021-09662-w

 National Assessment Governing Board (2018). Technology and Engineering


Literacy Framework for the 2018 National Assessment of Educational
Literacy. Washington, DC: National Assessment Governing Board, U.S.
Department of Education. https://www.nagb.gov/naep-frameworks
/technology-and-engineering-liter acy
/2018-technology-framework.html. Accessed 24 July, 2022.

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