Distinguishing Science, Engineering, and Technology

Abstract

Although there is substantial overlap between nature of engineering (NOE) and nature of science (NOS), important differences and interactions have rarely been examined in the literature. We begin with a brief history of engineering education and how that led to the inclusion of engineering in Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and clarify working definitions of science, engineering, and technology based on U.S. national education documents. We then propose two strategies, developed independently by the two authors, that demonstrate how science, engineering, and technology are related yet distinct, one of the key NOS targets. The distinction between science as inquiry and engineering as design is the focus of the first strategy described in this chapter, whereas the interaction between engineering and science is the focus of the second. These strategies could be used individually or jointly with either preservice or in-service teachers. Understanding how NOE relates to NOS will help science teachers incorporate engineering, as required by the NGSS, and furthermore suggest a more effective format for writing up engineering-related lab reports.