This project is developing curricula and an implementation model that will increase interest and the ability to pursue higher education in the field of engineering. The curricula and model will result in K-12 students applying critical math, science, and technology knowledge while they plan, design, test, revise, and implement engineering activities. The K-12 units of study developed create an articulated pathway for learners to successfully transition to a two-year engineering technician program. The units of study are being assembled into three separate sequences for the elementary, middle and high school levels with a model implementation plan.
Components of the model include K-12 instructor training, curriculum alignment, collaborative interdisciplinary teams, and implementation of the curriculum with students, as well as recruitment of students into post-secondary engineering programs. Valley City State University faculty members facilitate the engineering courses for the 18 participating teachers. The instructional units are being pilot tested, revised, and refined, then implemented in the form of model course curriculum at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
This project has intellectual merit in need, design, and the qualifications of the team. The proposed activities address the challenge of preparing, motivating, and retaining students in the pursuit of engineering related opportunities. North Dakota has adopted the curricular framework recommended by the Center to Advance the Teaching of Technology and Science (CATTS). This project results in a model implementation of the CATTS framework by developing the units of instruction necessary to transfer the framework into a product that can be implemented in the classroom. A clear articulation pathway from elementary to middle school to high school and then to postsecondary engineering programs is identified and supported by the resulting implementation model.
The broader impacts of this project include: (1) an instructor training process that provides content knowledge in technology and engineering while helping teachers implement the content in ways that require critical thinking and deep understanding on the part of students; (2) units of instruction that are standards-based, interdisciplinary, authentic, and engaging for dissemination via a web-based search engine; (3) an increase in the number of students with the foundational knowledge, skills, and the interest to continue into engineering- related postsecondary programs; (4) a support model that connects K-12 students and teachers, postsecondary students and teachers, and professionals in the areas of technology, engineering, science, and math.
