Purdue Course Instructs Teachers on Elementary Grade Engineering Principles

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 01/05/11

PBS TeacherLine has introduced an online course developed at Purdue University for elementary teachers specifically to strengthen their teaching strategies in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) topics. Inspire Elementary Students with Engineering shares teaching strategies to provide students with an early foundation in engineering through standards-based science and math curriculum and to develop students' critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

The course was developed by the Institute for P-12 Engineering Research and Learning (INSPIRE) within the Purdue University School of Engineering Education.

The 30-hour program, which costs $295, uses a "model eliciting activity" (MEA), an approach for integrating engineering principles into the classroom. As teachers work through a sample MEA, they'll also be designing original activities that align with their unique curriculum and learning how to pilot it in their classrooms. The activity, according to a description of the course, requires students to develop hands-on solutions for a client and then test the model they've created.

Teachers can earn graduate credit from Purdue, continuing education units, or professional development points for course completion. The first offering of the new course begins Jan. 26, 2011.

PBS TeacherLine offers professional development for pre-K-12 educators through facilitated, online courses, collaborative learning communities, and Web-based resources. The organization is funded by a grant from the United States Department of Education, which supplies about 85 percent of the total program funding. The remaining 15 percent is funded through in-kind support from PBS and program income.

INSPIRE conducts research into engineering education in four areas: teacher professional development, assessment, student learning, and informal learning.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs Off on AI Content Safeguard Laws

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills into law, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • glowing AI brain composed of geometric lines and nodes, encased within a protective shield of circuit patterns

    NIST's U.S. AI Safety Institute to Collaborate with Anthropic and OpenAI on AI Research

    The U.S. AI Safety Institute, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is partnering with AI companies Anthropic and OpenAI to collaborate on AI safety research, testing, and evaluation.

  • abstract, minimalist illustration of an educator interacting with geometric shapes and lines representing AI tools in a classroom setting

    5 Lessons Learned from an AI Early Adopter

    A 6th grade ELA teacher offers best practices based on his experience using AI tools and features in the classroom.

  • a glowing gaming controller, a digital tree structure, and an open book

    Report: Use of Game Engines Is Expanding Beyond Gaming

    Game development technology is being utilized beyond its traditional gaming roots, according to the recently released annual "State of Game Development" report from development and DevOps solutions provider Perforce Software.