Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Página 503 de 957
Jane Andrews and Robin Clark, Forging Futures? Engineering in the Primary School
Curriculum
Proceedings of the Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - Madrid 4
of extra curriculum activities such as afterschool clubs and competitions noted that
children who are generally ‘turned off’ by Science and Maths often engage with
Engineering projects, preferring a ‘hands on’ practical ‘real-life’ approach to learning. This
was evident in the observations, as the children observed hailed from a wide-range of
socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. Notably, there were equal numbers of girls and
boys. All of the children, who were aged from 5-11 years, were very keen to show what
they had learnt and excitedly explained how their cars were built, tested and powered.
Moreover, all expressed a desire that Engineering projects such as those they were
exhibiting should be part of ‘everyday’ school activities and not restricted to afterschool
clubs.
In discussing afterschool clubs and Engineering competitions with the interviewees, one
repeated theme related to a general concern about the lack of empirical evidence
regarding their long term value and impact. There is clearly much room for further
investigation in this area. The theoretical sampling techniques utilised in the study,
reflective of the methodological need to talk to ‘expert-practitioners’, and to observe
children actually engaged in Engineering Education, meant that all of the participants had
an interest in the provision of Engineering Education to schoolchildren. Furthermore, the
meta-analysis of the data strongly suggests that exposure to Engineering is vital in
sparking children’s Engineering imagination, getting them engaged and interested. Despite
this, and despite the good work of the non-profit organizations already involved in this
area, it is evident that the vast majority of schoolchildren in the UK receive no exposure to
Engineering whatsoever. If future predicted shortages of engineers are to be avoided, this
is something that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Child’s Interest in Engineering & Science
In describing current provision around Engineering Education, the majority of the
interviewees expressed concern that because the majority of schoolchildren receive no
exposure to Engineering Education whatsoever, they fail to gain any interest in the
discipline (it is simply ‘outside’ their day to day understanding). This lack of
understanding was also evident in some of the interviewees themselves; those of whom
who were employed as teachers tended to focus on the ‘Science’ and ‘Maths’ aspects of
Engineering, appearing to have little understanding about what Engineering actually is.
Conversely, the behaviours, interactions and communications observed during the
Engineering Education event proved that when given the opportunity to engage with
Engineering Education projects – children have the ability and enthusiasm not only to
participate in the ‘hands on’ aspects of Engineering, but also to learn and begin to
understand the basic knowledge underpinning their projects. Likewise, whilst the teachers
who had been interviewed during the first stage of the research appeared to have
difficulty in seeing Engineering as a distinctive, yet interlinked discipline, those observed
in the event appeared to have no such problems. It was evident that many of the teachers
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011