Evaluation of Engineering Activities in Elementary Schools in Terms of Learning Environment, Attitudes, and Understanding

This paper reports an evaluation of a curriculum development project aimed at promoting interest and understanding among elementary school students in engineering and technology through activities integrated into their school's teaching and learning program. In collaboration with students, teachers and school administrators, we developed engineering curriculum modules to extend existing science curricula in elementary schools. Participating students completed questionnaires assessing the classroom environment and students' attitudes and understanding before and after the implementation of engineering lessons. During exposure to the engineering curriculum, students experienced a large increase of about one standard deviation in career interest in engineering/technology, as well as significant improvements in their understating about what engineers do and what technology is.