ENGINEERING IS ELEMENTARY: CHILDREN’S CHANGING UNDERSTANDINGS OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Abstract

Findings are presented from a research program conducted by the Engineering is Elementary curriculum development project. Students participating in testing of the EiE curriculum materials were given pre-assessments and post-assessments that included questions about general engineering and technology concepts, engineering questions specific to particular units, and questions on science topics relevant to particular units. A comparable control sample of students who did not study EiE curriculum units was also assessed. Analysis of the data shows that students participating in EiE performed significantly better on the post-assessments than on the pre-assessments. They also performed significantly better than control students on the post-assessments. The engineering, technology, and science understandings of students participating in EiE significantly increased due to participation in EiE curriculum units. Engineering is Elementary Engineering is Elementary (EiE) is a curriculum designed to teach elementary students about concepts in engineering and technology. The curriculum is made up of individual units each of which is intended to supplement and enhance the teaching of a specific science topic. Ten (of twenty planned) units have been distributed and tested in classrooms so far. Each unit is organized around the design of a specific technology, and is associated with a field of engineering: for example, one unit is named