Engineering within K-12 from the Teachers Perspective:

Effectively Integrating Engineering Activities Tied to Educational Standards

Dr. Debra Gallagher, Dr. Kenneth Reid, Liz Spingola ASEE Annual Conference Atlanta: June 2013

Professional Development for K-12

Needed to help teachers: Become familiar with Ohios New Learning Standards Raise academic standards Enhance teachers knowledge in subject matter Enhance teachers knowledge of teaching strategies

Professional Development
Focused on: Goals and standards Student learning

Ongoing Involves more than just individual teacher

Barriers preventing teachers from engaging in professional development

Insufficient time High cost Distant geographical location Frequency of course offerings

Professional Development in the 21st Century

Face-to-Face Online Blended (hybrid)

Blended (hybrid) Approach*

Teachers attended face-to-face two spring workshops 4 hours each two weeks in the summer 8 hours/day two follow-up workshops 4 hours each Teachers completed online modules Summer approximately 10 hours
*Funding for SteM 2 STEM: Utilizing Science and Math Standards to Enhance Technology and Engineering in STEM Education was through the Ohio Board of Regents Improving Teacher Quality Grant

On campus workshops

Many activities from: www.tryengineering.org

Need for the online modules

Two Button Buzzer Circuit

Online Modules

Sound Electricity Measurement Physics (Force and Motion) Mathematics

Pre and Post Assessments

Module
Sound

Question
A wave has a wavelength of 50 m and is traveling at 2500 m/s. What is its frequency? a. 250 Hz b. 50 Hz c. 2550 Hz d. 125,000 Hz Which property concerning electric flow is true? a. Electrons move toward the positive terminal of the power supply in the circuit b. Electricity flows fast if the circuit is an open loop, not a closed one. c. The electrons come from the power source and move through the circuit, and once the circuit is interrupted, the conductor has no electrons in it anymore d. Electrons move very slowly through the circuit, averaging one meter per hour

Electricity

Pre and Post Assessments

Measurement What is Mass? a. The amount of matter within an object b. Amount of force on an object due to gravity c. SI definition of weight d. The amount of matter inside a set volume

Mathematics

What shape will the following line equation make? 3 2 + 2 + 1 a. Parabola b. Hyperbola c. Line d. Circle

Sample page from online modules

Links for more information

Preliminary Results
Very high marks for satisfaction
Including ties between engineering and OH standards

Very high intent to implement Multiple examples of classroom use

Significant increase on Electricity Module

(0.01, p<.05)

Significant improvement in post over pre total score

(0.013, p<.05)

Questions?
Ken Reid - k-reid@onu.edu
Program Director, Engineering Education Director, First-Year Engineering

Deb Gallagher d-gallagher.2@onu.edu

Assistant Professor, Education President, Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics