How high school students apply knowledge in engineering design projects

• Autores: Kuang Chao Yu, Kuen-Yi Lin, Szu Chun Fan
• Localización: The International journal of engineering education, ISSN-e 0949-149X, Vol. 29, no. Extra 6, 2013, págs. 1604-1614
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • This study examined how students applied conceptual and procedural knowledge when engaged in an engineering design project. Amechanical toy design project was used as a context for exploring how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)concepts taught in an engineering module facilitated student performance. Study data were collected from 103 high school studentparticipants and analyzed using correlation, variance, and simultaneous regression analysis. The major finding of the study wasthat the students’ STEM conceptual knowledge was the key to success in engineering design, especially at the synthesis andevaluation levels, and for their process ability to analyze, and evaluate during the project. Three recommendations are made toimprove high school engineering instruction. To facilitate in-depth learning about the process of engineering design, multipleapproaches should be employed to develop the students’ application of STEM conceptual knowledge and process abilities.Teachers need to enhance students’ science and mathematics knowledge to establish mathematical analysis and systems thinking.Students’ spatial and sketching abilities need to be improved to better facilitate engineering design work.