Track 1, GK-12, Applied Design Engineering Projects Team (ADEPT)

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

The University of California at Berkeley in conjunction with the Berkeley Unified School District will create Applied Design Engineering Project Teams (ADEPT). These teams will design and deploy a standards-based engineering curriculum for middle schools and high schools meant to integrate mathematics and science learning, inspire students and strengthen the classroom experience of current and future faculty in math, science, and engineering. ADEPT curriculum development teams will combine the best of inquiry- and activity-based teaching and learning with cutting edge university-based research methods and resources. Each team will be made up of local school teachers, university faculty, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates; each of whom will contribute unique perspectives and skills in the creation of discrete curriculum modules. These modules will form the core of the curriculum and serve as exemplary .hands-on . minds-on. model lessons that enrich the learning experience of the entire range of students. The overall goals of the program are to: Engage middle and high school students in doing mathematics and science through engineering projects that strengthen their understanding of core concepts in math and science; Engage and enrich learning for the diverse population of middle and high school students found in urban classrooms; Create and sustain a vibrant learning community of teachers, graduate students, undergraduate students and university faculty who work together to develop exemplary curriculum modules; Foster a college-going culture among middle school students, parents, and teachers that provides a supportive and attractive alternative to counter-academic pressures confronting students when they make the transition from middle school to high school. Intellectual Merits: ADEPT modules will be designed to serve the needs of the full range of students, including those who do not learn core math and science concepts with the current curriculum and teaching methods. These hands-on engineering design projects will tap into a greater range of learning modalities than current textbook and classroom practices. Second, ADEPT modules will serve the needs of students who have mastered the core math and science concepts and are challenged by the open-ended opportunities to integrate these math and science concepts, and apply their understanding to engineering projects that have implications for their lives and their community. Broader Implications: The modules to be developed will go beyond the traditional views of engineering to value the community and cultural context within which middle- and high school students learn. All results will be made available to other school districts and universities who may be interested in using these modules. This project is receiving partial support from the Directorate for Enginnering.