Tufts Engineering the Next Steps (TENS) GK12 project

Tufts University, Medford MA

Investigators

Abstract

Tufts University is partnering with four schools in the Malden school district in Massachusetts on the Tufts Engineering the Next Steps (TENS) project that focuses on engineering. The primary goals of TENS are: 1) to raise teachers' knowledge of, comfort with, and capability to teach engineering and algorithm design, 2) to increase all students' engineering knowledge and skills, 3) to increase fellows' appreciation for and knowledge about K-12 formal education, teaching, and outreach, and 4) to develop a grade 5-12 community in four schools that is supportive of innovations that integrate engineering and algorithm design. The TENS project focuses on engineering and builds upon an existing GK12 project that worked with a suburban district to explore whether and how teachers might integrate engineering into their classes. The broader impacts of this project include expansion of this successful project into a more diverse setting; good dissemination plans; good university-K-12 collaboration; and an adequate training program. The fellows and teachers work as partners that recognize, capitalize upon, learn about and slowly develop some of the expertise that the other party possesses. This project is partially supported by funds from the Directorate for Engineering Title of Project: Tufts Engineering the Next Steps (TENS) GK12 Project Institution: Tufts University PI/Co-PI: Martha N. Cyr, Linda Beardsley, Diane L. Souvaine, Tufts University Partner School District: Malden Public School District Funding: $1,499,795 # of Fellows/year: 8 Graduate Fellows and 7 Undergraduate Fellows Target Audience: Middle and High School Setting: Urban Disciplines: Engineering and Computer Science