Engineering

Elementary Teacher Professional Learning of Equitable Engineering Pedagogies for Multilingual Students

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This project is developing a standards-aligned engineering professional learning model for elementary teachers of multilingual learners. Using a participatory and collaborative approach, experts in literacy, language, and engineering will work with elementary teachers to develop strategies for how teachers can view students’ multilingualism as an asset to engineering.

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Culturally Responsive Elementary Science Teaching

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This project explores the influence of elementary teachers' curricular context knowledge, developed over multiple curricular enactments, to adapt curriculum materials in ways that are culturally respsonsive to their students. The project utilizes Explore the Salish Sea, a place-based curriculum that braids together Western and Indigenous science. Students learn about their local ecosystem and and partner with community members to engage in stewardship. Our research follows teachers through four different cycles of curriculum enactment to develop robust case studies.

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Investigating How Combining Intensive Professional Development and Modest Support Affects Rural, Elementary Teachers’ Science and Engineering Practice

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We are investigating factors that influence elementary teachers’ professional learning (PL) in science and engineering. The intervention and ongoing supports are offered at a distance to participants teaching grades 3-5 in rural school districts. Overarching research objectives include examining: (1) the impacts of online science and engineering PL; (2) the effectiveness of modest supports on the sustainability of PL outcomes; and (3) the changes to teachers’ engineering instructional practices.

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Fostering Virtual Learning of Data Science Foundations with Mathematical Logic for Rural High School Students (Collaborative Research)

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Data science is transforming science and industry, with a strong demand for skilled professionals. The LogicDataScience (LogicDS) curriculum at Florida Virtual Schools (FLVS) introduces high school students to this field and related careers, aiming to overcome educational barriers, particularly for rural students lacking access to STEM courses and qualified teachers.

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Fostering Virtual Learning of Data Science Foundations with Mathematical Logic for Rural High School Students (Collaborative Research)

Principal Investigator:

Data science is transforming science and industry, with a strong demand for skilled professionals. The LogicDataScience (LogicDS) curriculum at Florida Virtual Schools (FLVS) introduces high school students to this field and related careers, aiming to overcome educational barriers, particularly for rural students lacking access to STEM courses and qualified teachers.

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Engineering for Students with Extensive Support Needs

Principal Investigator:

Project BEEs is a three-year project with the goal of focusing on teachers' development of engineering practices, including how teachers support their students' development of engineering-focused behaviors and mindsets with instruction. Through the use of research-based engineering curriculum, Youth Engineering Solutions, and the use of Universal Design and EBPs for Students with Extensive Support Needs our team is developing access to engineering education for students with disabilities. 

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Developing a Multi-Disciplinary STEM Education Model for Multilingual Learners that Meets Societal Challenges

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This project contributes to advancing knowledge on STEM education focusing on societal challenges by harnessing the convergence of STEM subjects, including data science and computer science, to empower all students, especially multilingual learners (MLs). The research seeks to make two significant contributions. First, the project will develop a conceptual framework for multi-disciplinary STEM education with MLs to address pressing societal challenges. Second, the project will translate this conceptual framework into practical implementation in classrooms.

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Building Capacity in a Rural School District to Support Teacher Development in STEM Areas Through Cycles of Continuous Improvement

Principal Investigator:

Our poster addresses the focal area of Building Partnerships and Collaborating, by examining how the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Fabens Independent School District (FISD) partnership was created and how collaboration developed among the partners. We examine the implementation of Liberating Structures to develop authentic relationships, establish interaction norms, and open and transparent communication. These three elements of our partnership development resulted in flattening the traditional hierarchy often present in research-practice partnerships.

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Integrating Math and Science Through Engineering: Illustrative Examples from Curricula Implementation in Middle School Engineering Classrooms

Engineering has emerged as a promising context for STEM integration in K-12 schools. In the previous decade, the field has seen an increase in curricular resources and pedagogical approaches that invite students to utilize mathematics and science as they engage in engineering practices. This Innovation to Practice paper highlights one effort to meaningfully integrate mathematics and science through engineering in middle school classrooms. The STEM-ID engineering course sequence consists of three 18-week middle school engineering courses.

Author/Presenter

Jessica Gale

Dyanne Baptiste Porter

Meltem Alemdar

Sunni Newton

Jasmine Choi

Abeera Rehmat

Roxanne Moore

Year
2025
Short Description

Engineering has emerged as a promising context for STEM integration in K-12 schools. In the previous decade, the field has seen an increase in curricular resources and pedagogical approaches that invite students to utilize mathematics and science as they engage in engineering practices. This Innovation to Practice paper highlights one effort to meaningfully integrate mathematics and science through engineering in middle school classrooms.