Connecting Students' Background Experiences to Engineering Design

Many youth do not pursue engineering because they do not see how it connects to their lives and interests. Concerned about this problem, the National Research Council (2012) suggested ways that teachers can make engineering more relevant and accessible to youth who have not traditionally pursued car...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Technology and Engineering Teacher 2016-09, Vol.76 (1), p.30
Main Authors: Sias, Christina, Wilson- Lopez, Amy, Mejia, Joel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Standards
Classroom management
Classroom techniques
Computer Oriented Programs
Cultural Awareness
Cultural Capital
Design
Disproportionate Representation
Engineering
Family Environment
Job Skills
Methods
Minority Group Students
Motivation in education
Problem Solving
Recreational Activities
Skill Development
Social Media
STEM Education
Student Characteristics
Student Interests
Student motivation
Study and teaching
Technical education
Technological Literacy
Technology Uses in Education
Vocational Interests
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Summary:Many youth do not pursue engineering because they do not see how it connects to their lives and interests. Concerned about this problem, the National Research Council (2012) suggested ways that teachers can make engineering more relevant and accessible to youth who have not traditionally pursued careers in this field. According to the National Research Council, children develop their own ideas about how the world works based on their personal experiences, and "by listening to and taking these ideas seriously, educators can build on what children already know and can do" (pp. 24-25). One way that technology teachers can connect students' interests and experiences to engineering is through drawing from their funds of knowledge. Funds of knowledge include knowledge, skills, and practices that students develop through interactions with family members, neighbors, and peers (Moll, Amanti, Neff, & González, 1992). Doing chores around the house, visiting relatives in other countries, or holding jobs all provide students with useful knowledge and skills. Technology and engineering (TE) teachers who take advantage of these extracurricular funds of knowledge will find that their students already have valuable experiences that are relevant to the curricula they teach.
ISSN:2158-0502