scholarly journals Eco-Solutioning: The Design and Evaluation of a Curricular Unit to Foster Students’ Creation of Solutions to Address Local Socio-Scientific Issues

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Butler Songer ◽  
Guillermo D. Ibarrola Recalde
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Urban Neighborhoods ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Instructional Unit ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Research Cycle ◽  
College Programs

The global pandemic and climate change have led to unprecedented environmental, social, and economic challenges with interdisciplinary STEM foundations. Even as STEM learning has never been more important, very few pre-college programs prepare students to address these challenges by emphasizing socio-scientific issue (SSI) problem solving and the engineering design of solutions to address local phenomena. The paper discusses the design and evaluation of a pre-college, SSI curricular unit where students expand their learning by creating solutions to increase biodiversity within local urban neighborhoods. The learning approach, which we call eco-solutioning, builds from current vision and policy documents in STEM education emphasizing phenomenon-centric instructional materials, science investigations, and engineering design. The paper outlines design principles for creating an eco-solutioning instructional unit that guides young students to: collect and analyze data on local organisms, use an engineering design approach to craft solutions to increase local biodiversity, and present their solutions to local city planners and community members. Two cycles of research studies evaluated student learning using paired t-tests. Results demonstrated significant pre-post learning outcomes in both research cycles. A third research cycle in the form of a summer extension program supported students as they implemented their local solutions. Conclusions highlight design principles for the successful creation of SSI curricular units centered on local environmental issues of interest to students, teachers, and stakeholders.

Co-robotics hands-on activities: A gateway to engineering design and STEM learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 40-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Ziaeefard ◽  
Michele H. Miller ◽  
Mo Rastgaar ◽  
Nina Mahmoudian
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Hands On

An Integrated Engineering Agriculture STEM Program

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Gharib ◽  
Tala Katbeh ◽  
G. Benjamin Cieslinski ◽  
Brady Creel
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Engineering Design Process ◽  
Hands On

Abstract Pre-college project-based learning programs are essential means to increase the students’ interest toward STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines and careers. Engineering-based projects have shown significant impact on the students’ interests. Therefore, developing countries are investing strategically in their emphasis to attract students to careers in STEM fields, specifically engineering and medicine. That resulted in a steady expansion of their educational pipeline in STEM; and while that emphasis remains, there is a new and urgent need for expertise in agriculture, environmental science, life sciences and sustainability to support the agriculture industry, which is working to secure independent sources of food for their population. New interventions must be devised to stimulate broader interest in STEM fields while also increasing students’ academic readiness for advanced studies in those areas. To target the requirement of increasing people’s competencies in STEM fields, various programs have been created and designed to inspire and broaden students’ inquisitiveness toward STEM. This paper presents an integrated science-engineering program, called Qatar Invents, designed to support and enhance students’ learning of science concepts while also increasing students’ understanding of global challenges in food and water security. This goes with close connection to the desire to increase in the domestic production of agricultural resources in developing countries in recent years. Qatar Invents would engage students into learning and applying fundamental engineering skills onto relatable real-world issues: namely, in the design of hydroponics systems. Qatar Invents challenges students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills in solving modern problems through the use of the engineering design process. With hands-on challenges, modeling, and communication training, students are motivated to tackle problems related to food security where they create hydroponics projects. Qatar Invents’ learning objectives included: teamwork, using proper toolbox skills, understanding what is engineering, the process of brainstorming, creating successful innovative designs, building prototypes, and developing presentation skills. Throughout this program, the participants were equipped with hands-on knowledge and critical thinking skills that helped them achieve their objectives. Utilizing the engineering design process, the students worked in small teams to brainstorm ideas and create inventions. The topics covered during the program included the importance of an engineering notebook and documentation, principals of engineering graphics, basics of agricultural science, foundations of hydroponics, the brainstorming practice, generating a decision matrix, proof of concept, and pitching ideas. At the end of the program, the students came up with novel solutions to serious problems wherein unique hydroponics projects were produced and presented to a panel of experts. This program attempts to build bridges between developing countries’ STEM education pipeline and the new demand of talent in the agriculture sector. All pertinent details including the preparation, instructional materials, prototyping materials, and case studies are presented in this paper.

scholarly journals Design principles for transforming making programs into online settings at public libraries

2020 ◽  
Vol 121 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 619-630
Author(s):  
Soo Hyeon Kim ◽  
Gi Woong Choi ◽  
Yong Ju Jung
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Informal Learning ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Family Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Process Documentation ◽  
Knowledge Building Communities

Purpose This paper aims to investigate design principles for transforming existing making communities of practice within public libraries into online knowledge-building communities to support youths, families with young children and adult members’ making and tinkering during COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach Building upon C4P and connected learning framework, the authors analyze existing literature and practitioner reports on informal learning projects related to making and STEM learning, family learning and online learning as well as emergent cases of innovative approaches in response to COVID-19 from public libraries, informal learning institutions and community groups. Findings The authors suggest 11 design principles around five areas: program design, facilitation, tools and materials, process documentation and sharing and feedback. Originality/value This work contributes to the information and learning sciences concerned with community engagement and knowledge creation by suggesting a design model to transform and sustain existing making communities of practice within public libraries into online knowledge-building communities during COVID-19.

scholarly journals Analysis of Systems Security Engineering Design Principles for the Development of Secure and Resilient Systems

IEEE Access ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 101741-101757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Beach ◽  
Logan O. Mailloux ◽  
Brent T. Langhals ◽  
Robert F. Mills
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Security Engineering ◽  
Systems Security ◽  
Systems Security Engineering
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