Engineering Focus Workshop
Changes the community wants to see…
Fun experiments
Integrated STEM projects --> not just Science, Tech, English, or Math
Understand underlying technology at age appropriate level. Not just be a user
Fun Science
Relative topics
Engineering earlier
Girls in Science
Some simple "programming" activities - I saw the list of software on the D39C website, I like the idea
"Common Core Engineering" --> backwards design
STEM in all areas - less sharp boundaries in courses/curricula
Application based
Structured problem solving with word problems, knowns, unknowns
Use technology apps to teach
Projects that span a time appropriate for the age
Kids build over the whole semester - plan, build, redo
Mountain Top experiences with industry folks
Engineering, design process feeds into all subjects
Engineering is design - use design process to teach STEM
Complete End to End design process
What excites you?
Engineering projects apply to math and science
Computer science to teach number theory (non traditional math)
Kids know their options of engineering/science different disciplines
Hands on experiences followed by learning 'why'
Engaged children
Get your hands dirty
Exciting homework
Build entrepreneurs and think outside the box
What don’t you want to see…
Not all computer based - use real physics
Work sheets
Recipes for doing a project
Lessons taught from a book
Mindless repetition
An all engineering school
Narrow engineering tracks
Not giving critical feedback - failure is good, experimentation is good but needs to know when it doesn't work
New Opportunities you would like to see…
Exploration
Explore Biochemistry
Lower grades explore upper grades
Risk taking
Play with Legos
Experiment, experiment, experiment
Learning from mistakes
Lego Club
Relevant field trips
Exposed to the newest teachers who bring in out of the box concepts
Multi-grade spanning projects --> valued contribution from all grades
There are more than one way to solve a problem
Computer programming courses
Application based