A Report on the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council Committee Two Year Study Rollie Otto, Panelist February 18 and 19 Sacramento California

Study Origins National Academy of Engineering and Board on Science Education at Center for Education at National Research Council Supported by a grant from NAE Member Stephen D. Bechtel Jr. with additonal support from PTC Inc.

Charge to the Committee What is the Scope and Nature of Efforts to Teach Engineering to nations K-12 students? Considerations: Curriculum Teacher Professional Development Interaction with Science, Technology, Mathematics Impacts on student learning and interest in engineering and other potential impacts

Committee Composition Chaired by Distinguished NAE Member – Linda Katehi K-12 Teachers – Engineering Educators Public and Private School Administrators University Engineering Education Outreach Leaders STEM Researchers Industry Representatives

Key Questions Defined Approach What is Engineering? Why K-12 Engineering Education? What is State of K-12 US Engineer Education? How Does Research Inform K-12 Eng. Ed. Teaching and Learning?

What is Engineering? The Bridge between Scientific and Technical Innovations Economic Vitality, Quality of Life and National Security The Human Inclination to Design or Devise Design under constraint, modeling, testing leading to artifacts and processes

Design and Inquiry as a way of knowing and doing Scientific INQUIRY - Science for All Americans Engineering DESIGN - International Technology Education Association Demands evidence Blends logic and imagination Explains and Predicts Identify and Avoid Bias Not authoritarian Purposeful Multiple Specifications and Constraints Systematic and Iterative Multiple Solutions.

Study Components Curriculum Review Commissioned Papers Conceptual learning in K-12 engineering Skill development in K-12 engineering Impacts of K-12 engineering curricula History of engineering in the United States Pre-college engineering in other countries Two information-gathering workshops

The State of K-12 Engineering Education Curricula Review Professional Development

Curricula Selection Criteria Specifications Engineering design: students engage in or analyze the process Concepts central to engineering: students explore systems, constraints, analysis, modeling, optimization Mathematics, science and technology: students use meaningful instances Human Needs: student see engineering as addressing individual or societal needs Sufficient scale, maturity, or rigor 33 K-12 Engineering Education Programs

Curricula Review Great Variability Creating a reference frame for evaluation I want to show Kens Beads picture here, if OK then please send.

Curricula Review Reasons for Teaching Engineering Diffusion of Materials Implementation and Costs Pedagogy Evidence of Diversity

Curricula Review (Cont.) Claimed Benefits Learning and achievement in science and mathematics Awareness of engineering and the work of engineers Understanding and ability to engage in engineering design Interest in engineering careers Increased technological Literacy

Professional Development Review What skills and knowledge do teachers need – TBD Mostly In-Service Programs Model Preservice Program Identified UC and CSU STEM teacher initiatives cited UTeach cited Universities with Precollege Engineering Engineering cited

Teaching and Learning Core Engineering Concepts and Skills – K-12 – Systems: Structure-behavior-function; Emergent Properties – Optimization: Multiple variables; Trade-Offs – Drawing and Representing – Experimenting and Testing Guidance for Effective Teaching for Learning is Emerging

General Observations A surprising amount of activity nationally Existing curricula are extremely varied Most struggle to include math in meaningful ways The absence of content standards is problematic Engineering may have the potential to improve learning and interest in mathematics and science

Balancing STEM Or Is It SMET?

The STEM Enterprise Tied to Laws of nature and mathematical reasoning and logic Transformed by computational, communication and information technologies Acquiring global attributes and addressing global problems Evolving international workforce

STEM Relationships All are human inventions All embedded in and constrained by the laws of Nature and Mathematical Logic All are required in finding technological solutions to human needs All suffer from underrepresentation of ethnic and cultural groups and women in US workforce

The Case for Engineering Education From the curriculum review – multiple and unsubstantiated purposes Potentials in summary from all resources – Learning and achievement in science and mathematics – Awareness of engineering and the work of engineers – Understanding and ability to engage in engineering design – Interest in engineering career – Increased technological Literacy

STEM Education as Supported by Public Policy Relative EmphasisPolicy Support Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Accepted Universal Standards – What Students Need to Know and Able to Do. Aligned Curriculum and Instruction Testing and Accountability Professional Development Research into Teaching and Learning

STEM Literacy Now and Future Today Future Silos of Standards and Expectations Independent instructional materials and curricula Isolated teacher subject matter preparation Assessment and pedagogy focused on isolated skills & knowledge Coordinate, aligned or fully integrated standards and expectations Interconnected or fully integrated instructional materials and curricula Interconnected teacher subject matter expectations Assessment and pedagogy for integrated applications of STEM knowledge