TY - GEN
T1 - Middle school students' conceptions of engineering
AU - Jordan, Michelle
AU - Snyder, Jan
PY - 2013/12/1
Y1 - 2013/12/1
N2 - This study investigated middle school students' conceptions of engineering. Participants were sixth through eighth grade members of afterschool engineering clubs. Thus, the study contributes to understanding middle school students' knowledge of engineering, and also to how afterschool activities shape students' conceptions of engineering. Researchers have increasingly attended to students' perceptions of themselves as engineers, and their attitudes towards engineering majors and careers. However, little research has investigated middle school students' conceptions of engineering-what engineering is and what engineers do. The purpose of this study was to understand how middle school students who join afterschool engineering clubs conceptualize engineering and how engineering afterschool club experiences influence students' conceptions of engineering. The results of our study indicate that many participants had limited conceptions of engineering and suggest a need to connect design activities with knowledge of engineering.
AB - This study investigated middle school students' conceptions of engineering. Participants were sixth through eighth grade members of afterschool engineering clubs. Thus, the study contributes to understanding middle school students' knowledge of engineering, and also to how afterschool activities shape students' conceptions of engineering. Researchers have increasingly attended to students' perceptions of themselves as engineers, and their attitudes towards engineering majors and careers. However, little research has investigated middle school students' conceptions of engineering-what engineering is and what engineers do. The purpose of this study was to understand how middle school students who join afterschool engineering clubs conceptualize engineering and how engineering afterschool club experiences influence students' conceptions of engineering. The results of our study indicate that many participants had limited conceptions of engineering and suggest a need to connect design activities with knowledge of engineering.
KW - Conceptions of engineering
KW - K-12 engineering education
KW - Middle grades
KW - Middle school
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84893234965&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84893234965&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/FIE.2013.6685174
DO - 10.1109/FIE.2013.6685174
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84893234965
SN - 9781467352611
T3 - Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE
SP - 1945
EP - 1950
BT - 2013 Frontiers in Education Conference
T2 - 43rd IEEE Annual Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE 2013
Y2 - 23 October 2013 through 26 October 2013
ER -