An engineering design course for future educators

Abstract

Summary form only given. The University of Washington is a member of the National Science Foundation coalition ECSEL (Engineering Coalition of Schools for Excellence in Education and Leadership) which is committed to the dramatic transformation of the undergraduate curriculum and increasing the diversity of engineering students. An integral component of the coalition involves fostering the relationship between engineering design and education. The Introduction to Engineering Design course (ENGR 100) at the University of Washington has proven to be a successful vehicle for connecting the fields of engineering and education. ENGR 100 is a project-based design course in which both faculty and students work in teams. Each section is team-taught by an engineering professor, a graduate teaching assistant and an undergraduate senior peer. The students work in teams to complete a number of design research assignments and reverse engineering. This course satisfies a general education requirement for all students, and is taken by individuals with very diverse career aspirations and goals. The ECSEL team at the University of Washington has focused particular attention on the utility of ENGR 100 as an experience for pre-service teachers. Introduction to Engineering Design (ENGR 100) offers nonengineering majors interested in education the opportunity to participate as students in a hands-on, cooperative learning environment. Students interested in careers in education participate in a reflective seminar covering educational issues and their applicability to K-12 environments.