|
|
|
Engineers Make a Difference
Campaign Across America
How Do You Make a Difference?
Everyday I heard stories about what educators are doing to interest students in engineering.
Do you have great idea that you'd like to share?
Post it here and let others benefit from your experience! By working together, we can achieve so much more that we can by working alone.
Below are some examples of programs that increase interest in engineering. Don't see your program listed? Scroll to the bottom of the page and let us know about it!
Learning Laboratories
Many companies also work to bring engineering education into focus. A few of the more prominent and proven examples include:
- Pitsco — Academy of Engineering
Pitsco’s Academy of Engineering is a continuum of hands-on curriculum that provides engaging, standards based content in STEM. Three years of teacher-led, student responsible projects are presented with real-world engineering fields and contexts such as aeronautical, mechanical, civil, rocketry, robotic, automotive and green engineering. Each engineering context spans nine weeks (one quarter) of content and experiences.
- PCS Edventures — Academy of Engineering (AOE)
The AOE is a mobile engineering laboratory that combines hands-on activities with either Fischertechnik® or LEGO® Manipulatives to teach students science, technology, engineering, math, architecture, communications, robotics and more. It’s a STEM solution with hundreds of hours of course work and activities. The program also includes online teacher training, student assessment and support, and a virtual online community that includes quarterly engineering challenges and at-home extensions (www.edventures.com/AOE).
- Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius
Provides about 100 hours of electronic hardware training for ages 13+. Meets Canadian standards for high school electronics classes (www.elxevilgenius.com).
Beyond K-12
Once you find curriculum or programs that your students enjoy and they are ready to go to engineering school, you’ll be happy to know that engineering schools and colleges have become very creative in their quest to attract the best students.
- Some are increasing the degrees offered. Many have started programs in biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, sustainable engineering and other hot areas that are of interest to students.
- Some schools have engineering residence halls.
- Some have international programs such as Engineers Without Borders.
- Some have engineering sororities and engineering student organizations for all disciplines and interests.
- Some offer a large variety of scholarships.
- Some schools don’t allow students to select a major until their sophomore or junior year.
- Some schools offer design courses for freshmen.
- Some offer summer camps for high school students and competitions for undergraduates.
- Many have Women in Engineering as well as Minorities in Engineering programs.
- Many have co-op programs and internships.
|
|
|
Talkback
From Mark Wallace - High Point Regional High School in Sussex, NJ has offered a Women in Engineering Design Technology course for seven years. We average 17 students each year. Forty percent stay in our Technological Studies Department, seniors would not be able to stay. Our last five Technology Student Association Presidents have started in the WIE course. The girls have won state engineering competitive events and placed in the top 6 Nation wide. It's working! Why don't more students offer single gender classes when there is a need like females in Engineering? We do offer a similar course for anyone which was the legal issue we had to meet in order to offer this to our female students. I even have one grad of WIE studying to be a technology Ed. teacher and hope to hire her soon.Technology education programs have turned many students onto engineering careers. This is not our goal, we want to improve technological literacy for every student but it is a great side affect.
Posted on Celeste's blog October 7, 2008 at 6:02 am PST
Post your comments to How Do You Make a Difference?
|
|
| |
Welcome to the Engineers Make a Difference Campaign. This site has been developed to help you motivate students to pursue an engineering education. My name is Celeste Baine I am the author of twenty books on engineering careers and education.
|
Have Celeste speak at your school, conference, or event!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
