Engineering Contexts and Concepts for Developing and Promoting Students' Higher Level Learning

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

This Bridges for Engineering Education planning grant project consists of collaboration between the faculty in the Schools of Engineering and Education at Purdue University along with middle and high school (6-12 grade level) teachers with the goal of using engineering contexts and concepts to develop instructional settings (tasks and pedagogy) to promote higher level learning (e.g., abilities to problem solve, reason, create models, and perform critical analysis) for undergraduate students and middle and high school students. The goal is to strengthen and extend existing informal collaborations between Engineering, Education, and K-12 schools to develop a coherent, focused, and integrated research and development program for the purpose of improving the teaching of undergraduate engineering and to use engineering contexts and concepts to enhance mathematics and science education in 6-12 education. This project will involve: o Setting the stage for a novel coherent and integrated education program o Development of prototypical model-eliciting activities using engineering contexts and concepts for undergraduate engineering students o Development of innovative pedagogical environments for undergraduate engineering students - small group and class discussions o Development of prototypical model-eliciting activities using engineering contexts and concepts for middle and high school students o Realization of a framework for a novel coherent and integrated education program .