1. www.engineeringthefuture.info PROFESSIONAL ADAPTABLE INDISPENSABLE INVENTIVE CREATIVE Engineering the Future: working together to enhance understanding, commitment and participation in engineering real world context, problem solving, wealth creation The activity illustrates the use of electronics in everyday life. It is designed to stimulate interest and increase pupil motivation through considering some physics principles in an engineering project. The project involves designing and building a radio receiver from cheap, easily sourced components with a view to understanding how each part of a radio works. The pupils work as part of a team and use their science knowledge to carry out an electronic engineering project to design, build and test a simple radio receiver. Engineers have to look at the advantages and disadvantages of different design options and choose the solution that best matches the requirements. To produce a successful product engineers must identify and understand the constraints they are working under (e.g. resources, cost and marketability) and the limitations of their chosen design. Easy Radio 123 There are 3 phases to the engineering activity Review of the key scientific understanding necessary and discussion of the early radios Designing a radio receiver using the components available Building and testing the radio receivers in teams. Through designing and building a radio using simple components pupils enhance their: understanding of the main properties of waves; understanding of how waves are used to transmit information; ability to name, recognise on a diagram and describe the functions of the main parts of a radio receiver; their ability to describe the general principle of radio transmission; capacity to work collaboratively in a group task. They are also be able to work as an engineer through: working as part of a team; building a working model of a simple radio receiver; finding faults and repairing a simple radio. Key requirements are simple components - wire, diodes (IN34A Germanium diode), crystal earphones terminal blocks, toilet roll holders, screwdrivers and wire strippers. All except perhaps the wire are reusable. Designed for S3/4 Standard Grade Physics - Telecommunications Why Engineering? Finding relevance for the physics curriculum. Pupils successfully engaged in the study of telecommunications. Engaging and motivating the pupils. Really interesting – looked at pieces and thought they could be found around the house Skills developed Doing the activity enables the pupils to develop in each of the four Curriculum for Excellence capacities: Successful learners:The pupils learn to apply their knowledge to a practical application, designing their own radios and fixing any faults. Confident individuals:The pupils improve their practical skills and present their designs. Responsible citizens:The pupils can see clear links between science/technology and the real world and appreciate the importance of being able to communicate over long distances. Effective contributors:The pupils worked as part of a team, communicating with each other and sharing the different roles involved in the activity. Engineering the Future aims to develop a sustainable model of activities that enhance the learning experiences of pupils, develops their knowledge and understanding of contemporary engineering and smoothes the transition into engineering from school to university. Milnes High School and St Josephs College Partnerships Malcolm Thomson 1, Ian Houston 2, Richard OLeary 3 and Scott Roy 4. 1.Milnes High School, Moray, Scotland 2.St Josephs College, Dumfries, Scotland 3.Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Scotland 4.Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Scotland Description of engineering experience Motivation, engagement and pupil response Skills developed, links to Curriculum for Excellence and the four capacities Need to know how stuff works. Need to be quite good at maths. Need to know why it works. Its [engineering is] good for careers