To better understand students' and teachers' perceptions and understandings of engineering and technology and how these change as a result of interacting with the Engineering is Elementary curriculum, the project team and external evaluators are conducting research and evaluation studies. Current research questions include:
- Students' conceptions of engineering and technology
- Teachers' conceptions of engineering and technology
- Whether and how students' understandings of technology and engineering change from using EiE materials
- Whether and how teachers' understandings of technology and engineering change from using EiE materials
- Whether students' understandings of science are improved as a result of engaging in related engineering activities
- How the engineering activities affect learning of English Language Learners and Inclusion students
Formal Findings
Elementary Teacher Professional Development in Engineering: Lessons Learned from Engineering is Elementary. Christine Cunningham, Engineering is Elementary, The National Center for Technological Literacy, Museum of Science, Boston (June 2008)
Engineering is Elementary: A National Evaluation of Years 2-3. Dr. Cathy Lachapelle, Engineering is Elementary, The National Center for Technological Literacy, Museum of Science, Boston (February 2007) (Appendix A) (Summary)
Evaluation of the Museum of Science PCET Program. Russell Faux, Ed. D., Davis Square Associates (September 14, 2007)
Elementary Teacher Professional Development in Engineering: Lessons Learned from Engineering is Elementary. Christine Cunningham and the Engineering is Elementary Team, The National Center for Technological Literacy, Museum of Science, Boston (2007)
Museum of Science: Engineering is Elementary, Exploring the Impact of EiE on Participating Teachers. Rosa Carson, BA and Patricia B. Campbell, PhD, Campbell-Kibler Associates, Inc. (September 2007)
Museum of Science: Engineering is Elementary, Impact on Teachers With and Without Training. Rosa Carson, BA and Patricia B. Campbell, PhD, Campbell-Kibler Associates, Inc. (September 2007)
Engineering is Elementary: An Engineering and Technology Curriculum for Children. Dr. Christine M. Cunningham, Kate Hester, Engineering is Elementary, The National Center for Technological Literacy, Museum of Science, Boston (March 7, 2007)
Engineering is Elementary: Children’s Changing Understandings of Science and Engineering. Dr. Cathy P. Lachapelle, Dr. Christine M. Cunningham, Engineering is Elementary, The National Center for Technological Literacy, Museum of Science, Boston (March 7, 2007)
Engineering our Future New Jersey: Evaluation of the Implementation of Elementary Curricula. Dr. Cathy P. Lachapelle, Engineering is Elementary, The National Center for Technological Literacy, Museum of Science, Boston (February 16, 2007). In conjunction with the Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ.
Elementary Teachers' Understandings of Engineering and Technology. Christine Cunningham, Cathy Lachapelle, Anna Lindgren-Streicher, Museum of Science, Boston (2006)
Evaluation of the Museum of Science PCET Program. Russell Faux, Ed.D. Davis Square Research Associates (2006)
Assessment Report for Engineering is Elementary. Christine Cunningham, EiE Project Director, Museum of Science, Boston (2005)
Assessing Elementary School Students’ Conceptions of Engineering and Technology. Christine Cunningham, Cathy Lachapelle, Anna Lindgren-Streicher, Museum of Science, Boston (2005)
Draw an Engineer Test (DAET): Development of a Tool to Investigate Students’ Ideas about Engineers and Engineering. Meredith Knight, Christine Cunningham, Tufts University/Museum of Science, Boston (2004)
As more results of this research becomes available, we will share our findings here.