The influence of an authentic engineering design experience on elementary teachers’ nature of engineering views
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2017
Publication Title
Journal of Science Education and Technology
Abstract
This study assessed the influence of an authentic engineering design experience on elementary teachers’ nature of engineering (NOE) views across six target NOE aspects including bounded, tentative, subjective, creative and socio-cultural NOE aspects, and engineering design process. Participants were 30 elementary teachers from different schools in a large urban school district in southwestern United States. An open-ended NOE questionnaire coupled with individual interviews was used to assess participants’ NOE views before and after the authentic engineering design experience. Elementary teachers participated in a 3-day professional development program that engaged them in designing soda can crushers. Engineering design experience included certain elements explicitly addressing some NOE aspects. Our data analysis indicated that elementary teachers made substantial gains in their NOE views except tentative NOE aspect. The result of the present study support the inclusion of more explicit and reflective elements to authentic engineering design experiences so that participants can further develop their NOE views.
Language
eng
Repository Citation
Deniz, H.,
Yesilyurt, E.,
Kaya, E.,
Trabia, M.
(2017).
The influence of an authentic engineering design experience on elementary teachers’ nature of engineering views.
Journal of Science Education and Technology