Engaging Materials in the K1 to K12 School Environment as the Foundation for Engineering and Technology

Abstract

There is a need to re-vitalize science and technology education to suit today’s world. The specific aim for this study is to determine how school science in early years of schooling impacts on years 11 and 12 science studies in the areas of materials science, and subsequent further tertiary studies. Public education records were investigated to obtain post hoc enrolment data to establish trends and decline in enrolments in physics and chemistry in the final years of high school which revealed a trend in enrolments falling over a ten year period. The student population in science of physics and chemistry were not well prepared for future studies and are a challenge for students undertaking engineering and technology studies at a tertiary level. It is proposed that primary and high school science subjects be made more popular by integrating popular aspects of materials in everyday life, so making science an appealing part of the syllabus. Initiating these syllabus changes will enhance the way science subjects are taught to encourage studies into engineering.