Development of an engineering design process-based teaching and learning model for scientifically gifted students at the Science Education Institute for the Gifted in South Korea

Abstract This study suggests an engineering design process-based (EDP-based) teaching and learning model in science education and examines its educational potential for scientifically gifted students. This model consists of activities designed to help students come up with creative solutions using the engineering design process in a methodological manner to solve problems in everyday life. The EDP-based model has five stages: “defining the problem,” “ingathering information,” “generating the solution,” “implementing the best solution,” and “evaluating the solution and reflecting.” The model was named DIGIER based on these five stages. This EDP-based model has functions for scientifically gifted education such as providing guidance for developing gifted education programs and helping educators use instructionally effective strategy for scientifically gifted students in the science education institute for the gifted, South Korea. Making a simple outdoor paper microscope program developed with the DIGIER model. The students recognize the old paper microscope dissatisfying and recognize a need to make a new simple outdoor paper microscope through experiment to observe stomata in plant leaves with an optical and old paper microscope. Then, the students create a new paper microscope design collaboratively. Therefore, DIGIER model can be a very effective teaching and learning strategy to increase the scientific creativity and collaborative abilities of scientifically gifted students that will play a pivotal role in the future society.