Using Engineering Design Challenges to Engage Elementary Students With Gifts and Talents Across Multiple Content Areas. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dailey, Debbie
• Is Part Of: Gifted child today. Volume 40:Number 3(2017:Jul.)
• Page Start: 137
• Page End: 143
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: differentiation -- gifted education -- problem solving -- standards; Gifted children -- Education -- Periodicals; Gifted children -- Periodicals; 371.95
• DOI: 10.1177/1076217517707236
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2175

Abstract

With the release of the Next Generation Science Standards and the adoption of the standards by many states, teachers are encouraged to use the engineering design process (EDP) as an instructional approach to teaching science. However, teachers have limited time to teach science and will often neglect science in favor of mathematics and literacy instruction. To make this feasible for elementary classrooms, teachers should be encouraged to implement integrated units of study utilizing EDP to cohesively bind content areas and to increase active learning, critical thinking, and problem solving among all learners. An additional benefit of using EDP as an instructional strategy is the focus on problem solving and the avoidance of one size fits all learning. Students actively engage in learning content (science, mathematics, literacy, social studies) as they collaboratively work together to solve societal and environmental problems. Knowledge is built as students progress through the challenges and content is provided on a need to know basis, thereby differentiating instruction based on learner needs and challenging gifted learners. In this article, the author provides four sample engineering challenges that can be used to create an integrated unit of study using the EDP as an instructional strategy.