Engineering design, a framework for studying and solving societal problems, is a key component of STEM education. It is also the area of greatest challenge within the Next Generation Science Standards, NGSS. Many teachers feel underprepared to teach or create activities that feature engineering design, and integrating a lesson plan of core content…

As national STEM initiatives focus on engineering design as a STEM integrator, a more important concern for K-12 educators should be teaching design fundamentals and using these experiences to help students obtain STEM content knowledge. There appears however, to be little instruction and emphasis on building students' design-sketching skills in…

Science teachers and mentors continue to be challenged to meet the high expectations of "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" and the "Next Generation Science Standards." Indeed the Framework urges teachers to help learners "[build] progressively more sophisticated explanations of natural phenomena..." while the…

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue shares information about a unit promoting scientific literacy and the engineering design process. The integration of engineering with scientific practices in K-12 education can promote creativity, hands-on learning, and an improvement in students'…

The UK needs more well-qualified people to enter engineering in order to maintain and develop its economy. It appears that engineering it still seen by many as the preserve of the white male. This article looks at possible reasons (often based on established prejudice among students and their families and peer groups) why, in particular, members…

The HK-1 "Hercules" airplane made its maiden flight over 60 years ago, and it still holds the record as the airplane with the largest wingspan that ever flew. Powered by eight massive 28-cylinder engines, it was piloted by Howard Hughes during its one brief flight in California. A large portion of the airplane was made of wood, which…

Wind is reemerging as a clean and reliable source of energy--primarily for the production of electricity. This article discusses how to create a pinwheel to explore wind power. It presents a 5E learning-cycle lesson in which students construct a simple pinwheel-type windmill to test the power generated by different designs. Students compare three-…

People tend to think that inventions must be complex and sophisticated. Yet, some of the most useful inventions have been simple, or elegant, like Velcro, zippers, and Post-it[R] notes. Kitchen utensil drawers are filled with all sorts of great inventions, and in this article, the author discusses a challenge that allows students to develop their…

"Framework for K-12 Science Education" states that "children are natural engineers … they spontaneously build sand castles, dollhouses, and hamster enclosures and use a variety of tools and materials for their own playful purposes" (NRC 2012, p. 70). The "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") also…

The South Carolina Technical College System (SCTCS) has embraced POS, providing students across the state with pathways into careers ranging from nuclear systems technology to health care to industrial technology. The SCTCS has strived, over the last 50 years, to foster a bridge between business and education. The colleges coordinate and…

The Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) strives to improve STEM education through engineering and believes every student should have the chance to engineer. Situated in Massachusetts, the first state to adopt engineering education at all levels in public schools (Massachusetts DOE, 2001), the CEEO supports the…

Infusing engineering design projects in K-12 settings can promote interest and attract a wide range of students to engineering careers. However, the current climate of high-stakes testing and accountability to standards leaves little room to incorporate engineering design into K-12 classrooms. We argue that design-based learning, the combination…

Engines, in their many forms and functions, have had a tremendous impact on society and the environment. It is hard for the contemporary student to fathom a world without trains, cars, trucks, powerboats, and airplanes. With the fascination, history, impacts, and importance of engines to modern society, it is only natural that engine technology…

This article describes the Applied Engineering Technology (AET) Career and Educational Pathways Program, which helps local manufacturers find quality workers. The program features 32 high schools, three community colleges, and 10 four-year institutions offering an integrated regional system of applied engineering education. The goal is to enroll…