Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Página 499 de 957
Forging Futures? Engineering in the Primary School Curriculum
Jane Andrews
j.e.andrews@aston.ac.uk
Aston University, Birmingham
United Kingdom
Robin Clark
r.p.clark@aston.ac.uk
Aston University, Birmingham
United Kingdom
Abstract: Starting with the research question, “How can the Primary School
Curriculum be developed so as to spark Children’s Engineering Imaginations
from an early age?” this paper sets out to critically analyse the issues around
embedding Engineering in the Primary School Curriculum from the age of 5
years. Findings from an exploratory research project suggest that in order to
promote the concept of Engineering Education to potential university students
(and in doing so begin to address issues around recruitment / retention within
Engineering) there is a real need to excite and engage children with the subject
from a young age. Indeed, it may be argued that within today’s digital society,
the need to encourage children to engage with Engineering is vital to the future
sustainable development of our society. Whilst UK Government policy documents
highlight the value of embedding Engineering into the school curriculum there is
little or no evidence to suggest that Engineering has been successfully embedded
into the elementary level school curriculum. Building on the emergent findings of
the first stage of a longitudinal study, this paper concludes by arguing that
Engineering could be embedded into the curriculum through innovative
pedagogical approaches which contextualise project-based learning experiences
within more traditional subjects including science, history, geography, literacy
and numeracy.
Introduction
In order to critically examine the issues around embedding Engineering into the Primary
School curriculum, Engineering was conceptualized by the researchers as where science
meets society (DIUS, 2008). Whilst the demand for highly qualified engineers able to
bridge the scientific / social divide, and solve increasingly complex global, national and
local problems has never been higher, the Engineering profession in the UK is facing
unprecedented difficulties attracting young people (IMechE, 2009; Spinks et al, 2006).
Furthermore, the shortages faced by the Profession are augmented by the fact that at
university level, Engineering Education is manifest by high attrition rates - with more
students ‘dropping out’ of Engineering programmes than any other (RAEng, 2007). Whilst
the current position may appear ominous, predictions that the situation will deteriorate
markedly over the next 20 to 30 years, mean that unless action is urgently taken, the UK
will find itself with insufficient Engineering talent able to maintain and develop future
society (RAEng, 2007; Spinks et al, 2006).
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011