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Design and Discovery Connects Science and Engineering
The Design and Discovery program provides an environment where science and engineering concepts and skills are applied in ways that make them meaningful to students. The design and engineering process reinforces skills such as problem solving, making and using models, collecting and interpreting data, inferring, formulating questions, and predicting—all skills shared between science and engineering. This is a unique opportunity for students to identify and design solutions to problems significant in their own lives.
Massachusetts is the first state to introduce engineering standards. The Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework adopted in 2001 (www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/scitech/2001/0501.pdf*) describes the relationship between science, technology, and engineering this way:
"Science tries to understand the natural world. Based on the knowledge that scientists develop, the goal of engineering is to solve practical problems through the development or use of technologies."
Supportive Environments for Learning
Design and Discovery is an inquiry-based, hands-on design and engineering curriculum intended to encourage and enhance middle school girls' and boys' experiences in design, engineering, and technology. The program was originally intended for girls and developed based on gender research that shows how girls learn best. However, the research focusing on the learning environments that encourage girls' curiosity and interest in these fields also supports all students. The factors that research has shown to have a positive impact on all students' continuing involvement with science, engineering, and technology include:
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Interactive, collaborative, and team-based environments that offer the opportunity to work on real-world problems. |
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Exploratory environments that say it's OK to ask questions, take risks, and make mistakes. |
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Hands-on, inquiry-based activities to foster knowledge, skill development, experimentation, and creativity in the areas of science, engineering, and technology. Inquiry-based instructional approaches place students at the helm of the learning process and teachers in the role of learning facilitator, coach, and modeler. Skill development leads to competence and self-confidence. |
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Career exploration through real-world science and technology experiences including after-school science programs, field trips, conferences, science fairs, and internships. Real-world experiences provide awareness of career opportunities in the fields of science, engineering, and technology. |
These factors were taken into account by the Intel® Innovation in Education group as it developed the Design and Discovery curriculum.
Meeting Standards in School, After School, or Summer Learning
Interspersed throughout the curriculum are applications of common science content topics including electrical circuits, transfer of energy, materials, force and motion, and mechanics. Design and Discovery activities provide an introduction or review of these science concepts which address the following national science standards.
U.S. National Science Education Standards
www.nap.edu/html/nses*
Science and Technology
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Design a solution or product and communicate ideas with drawings and simple models. |
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Implement and evaluate solutions based on established criteria. |
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Communicate about completed pieces of work and identify the stages of problem identification, solution design, implementation, and evaluation. |
Physical Science
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Properties of materials: Identify properties of the substances from which the materials are made. |
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Motion and forces: Qualitatively and quantitatively describe moving objects and begin to explain the forces acting on the objects. |
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Transfer of energy: Understand electrical circuits provide a means of transferring electrical energy when heat, light, sound, and chemical changes are produced. |
Reports
American Association of University Women Education Foundation
www.aauw.org/member_center/publications/Techsavvy/Techsavvy.pdf*
The Web site includes ordering information and an online executive summary of Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (2000)
The Girl Scout Research Institute
www.girlscouts.org/research/publications/reviews/girl_difference.asp*
The Web site includes ordering information for The Girl Difference: Short-Circuiting the Myth of the Technophobic Girl.
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