1. www.engineeringthefuture.info PROFESSIONAL ADAPTABLE INDISPENSABLE INVENTIVE CREATIVE Engineering the Future: working together to enhance understanding, commitment and participation in engineering Application of scientific and mathematical knowledge to practical issues, needs and problems. Using prior knowledge to solve an everyday problem by using readily available apparatus. Worldwide commercial need for engineers. Using skills associated with other curricular areas within a Science/Engineering context to achieve a solution. Light and dark The students: Conduct an experiment which supplies data on how the resistance of an LDR varies with the light intensity over it. Draw a distance/resistance graph for their LDR. Construct a circuit which enables a lamp to light when it gets dark. Use the data collected to explain how the LDR enables the circuit to work Hot Potatoes The students: Conduct an experiment which supplies data on how the resistance of a given thermistor varies with temperature. Draw a suitable calibration graph using appropriate ICT. Interpret their data to find the temperature of some cooked food. And further explain: How their thermistor was used in solving the problem – input device! Other applications of thermistors used by engineers. Why Engineering? Hands-on experimental work. Making and fixing – setting up an experiment and making it work – not just watching. Clearly defined boundaries. There is always an AIM and a PURPOSE. Experience the variety within engineering We have been shown that there are many types of engineering – not just car mechanics – its not as technical as I thought it would be – its not as hard! [pupils] Global issues …… the government needs to bring engineers from abroad. [pupils] Cross Curricular Using knowledge from other areas like Home Economics/ICT. Skills developed Successful learners: Applying prior learning to solve a practical problem. Confident individuals: Learning to work as part of a team. Responsible citizens: Appreciation of the responsibility in the commercial world as well as the responsibility on us all to conserve energy for future generations. Effective contributors: Contributing effectively to group work, practical work and presentation work. Curriculum for Excellence Sciences: SCN 4.09b SCN 4.09c Numeracy: MNU 3.01a MNU 3.20a MNU 4.20aLiteracy: LIT 3.02a LIT 3.09 a 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. Woodfarm High School Partnership Description of engineering experience Motivation, engagement and pupil response Skills developed, links to Curriculum for Excellence and the four capacities 5 10 15 20 25 30 Resistance (k ) temperature ( o C) 20 40 60 80 Temperature v resistance Gurmeet Ghatoray 1 and Tim Drysdale 2. 1.Woodfarm High School, East Renfrewshire, Scotland 2.Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Scotland