Understanding the Conceptions of Engineering in Early Elementary Students

There is a demand for more STEM professionals. Early elementary students’ conceptions about engineering can influence whether or not they explore STEM career paths and ultimately select an engineering career. This study examined the conceptions elementary students have regarding the work that engineers perform. The research questions were the following: (1) what images do early elementary students associate with engineering and engineers, (2) do these associations vary from grade to grade, (3) are there gendered differences in these associations, and (4) how do the associations from this sample compare with the associations from the broader (grades one–five) Cunningham, Lachapelle, and Lindgren-Steider (2005) sample? Survey data from 1811 students in grades one–three were analyzed by comparison analysis and cluster analysis and then compared to the initial Cunningham et al. (2005) study. The results indicate two ways elementary students envision engineering: (a) creating designs or collecting and analyzing data, and (b) utilizing equipment to build and improve things. Comparison with the Cunningham et al. (2005) study suggests that there may be shifts in the way elementary students perceive engineering. Since these shifts could be attributed to a variety of factors, future work that determines what learning experiences might be contributing to students’ conceptions about engineering is recommended.

Build Your Own Body Mod: Empowerment through Prototyping and Design

When you don’t have a hand, what could you have instead? This article introduces the impact of inviting youth with disabilities to learn tools and technology to design their own solutions and advocate for their own future. This approach to programming is rooted in a mindset of designing WITH, not FOR. Not only are design outcomes improved when users are incorporated into the process, but this approach has been shown to improve confidence in creating one’s own solutions. These programs include hands-on “design-your-own-body-mod” workshops, as well as a budding inclusive design consultancy led by youth with disabilities. Through this programming, youth not only develop technical and cutting edge skills, confidence, and meaningful solutions, but they also develop a clearer understanding of design and engineering career paths and establish their own network of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) professionals.

Three-Year Study of the Impact of a Research Experience Program in Aerospace Engineering on Undergraduate Students

This study reports results from a three-year implementation of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the National Science Foundation in aerospace engineering at a public research university in the southwestern United States. Students’ perceptions of research knowledge, skills, and engineering career paths were all positively affected.

Business strategies most frequently applied in companies in the municipality of Poza Rica, Veracruz

This document presents the results obtained from the study conducted in order to know which were the most frequently applied strategies in the companies of Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico, to which a strategic plan was developed as part of academic projects carried out by students of the Business Management Engineering career, considering as axis the subject of Strategic Management of the academic program of the National Technology of Mexico with key AED-1035, during the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. The objective of the study is to identify the strategies that are most frequently presented, and in this way, help entrepreneurs to have a reference of the areas that are more susceptible to analyze in their companies. The study consisted of classifying the strategies by areas, based on the existing theoretical framework in this regard, resulting in that the strategies that appear most frequently are financial, marketing, processes and human resources, and some less frequent ones called others.