Syllabus

Engineering Design & Problem-Solving

2025 – 26 Course Description

Welcome to Engineer Your World! This course will engage students in authentic engineering practices in a project-based learning (PBL) environment. Learning is developed over a series of engaging and socially-relevant team-based explorations and design challenges. The curriculum focuses on

-  building engineering design skills

-  applying knowledge and skills from core academic courses

            -  developing engineering habits of mind, and

-  introducing engineering fields and professions.

Units of Instruction

1 Course Introduction & Norms

2 Discovering Design – Pinhole Camera                                         Design Challenge

3 Reverse Engineering & Product Redesign – Flashlight                 Design Challenge

4 Understanding Data – Designing Coffee                                      Exploration

5 Designing with Data – Safer Buildings                                         Design Challenge

6 Programming – Electronic Music                                                 Exploration

7 Systems Engineering – Aerial Imaging                                         Design Challenge

Required Materials

-  1-inch binder with student’s name clearly identified and easy to see on the front cover

-  set of 12 subject dividers

Recommended Materials

-  mechanical pencil with eraser – highly recommended for sketching and calculations

  -  scientific calculator or graphing calculator

-  materials for design challenges – as necessary, depending on the chosen design

Research

The curriculum for Engineer Your World was developed by UTeachEngineering at The University of Texas at Austin in collaboration with the National Science Foundation. Students will be asked to be participants in one or more research studies that are ongoing and focus on engineering education. More information and consent forms will be provided. Participation is entirely voluntary and will not influence a student’s grade or ability to participate in the class.

Credit

This course counts as a fourth science credit when taken with or after Physics. It can also count as an elective credit. It is the third course is part of the Statewide Program of Study: Engineering; STEM Career Cluster.

Evaluation and Grading Policy

We have a lot to accomplish this year, and we have a rigid schedule in order to complete our work. If a student misses class, he/she misses important design work, which is sometimes hard to recreate individually. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for late work and missed time both with the instructor and teammates, as necessary.

Grading will be on a point system, with minor assignments valued at 10 or 20 points and major projects valued at 35 or 50 points. All assignments will count as 95% of the nine weeks grade.

Engineering Notebook Design Documentation

(many minor grades per grading period)

Students are required to keep an up-to-date engineering notebook throughout the course, which will represent a significant portion of the overall grade. The notebook will include class notes, research notes, design sketches, test procedures and results, and reflections.

Individual Assessments

(a few minor grades per grading period)

Individuals assessments, over science or engineering concepts, will usually be given as short homework assignments, due the following class period.

Design Challenges    

(a few major grades per grading period)

All design challenges will be completed in teams. Students on a team will be assessed on final design components, results, and team documentation (reports and/or presentations).

Work Habits

(one weekly grade per grading period)

Employability skills are important. All students will be given a Work Habits assessment every day of class. The average of these daily assessments will count for 15% of the nine weeks grade. It is difficult to complete work for this course outside of class time, so our class time is highly valued and must be used well. Tardies, unexcused absences, lack of effort, and inappropriate use of technology are all issues that will affect a student’s Work Habits daily grade.

College Credit Options

Articulated credit is available for ACC’s Introduction to Engineering (ENGR 1201) course. Students who earn at least an 80 yearlong average in this course can get credit-in-escrow at ACC. This is credit that is shown on a student’s transcript and can be claimed at ACC up to 2 years after graduation. More information about using the CATEMA system to register for credit will be given later in the year.

The University of Texas Cockrell School of Engineering is now offering a dual enrollment option for the spring semester. Students who submit a portfolio of work in the fall semester can be approved to enroll in an engineering elective course at UT in the spring semester (ES 301). Students will submit coursework online, directly to UT, several times in the spring for evaluation. More information will be sent home in the fall semester about this opportunity.

Lab Safety & Material Use

Throughout the course students will be using electrical components, heating elements, cutting tools, chemicals, and possibly power tools to complete design challenges. If a student is irresponsible, wastes materials, or jeopardizes safety he or she will lose the privilege of accessing tools and materials in the classroom. All students will be required to turn in a signed EISD safety contract and pass a safety test with a grade of 100% before accessing classroom equipment and materials.