Experiments designed by K-12 teachers
During the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years, the Engineering Design Center for Service-Learning held workshops for practicing and pre-service K-12 teachers to work with engineering, technology, and education faculty from WMU. The workshop participants collaborated with WMU faculty mentors to design, build, test, and use in their classroom their own original project related to a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) topic area. The practicing and pre-service K-12 teachers learned about the engineering design process, the differences and similarities between engineering and technology disciplines, project documentation methods, and expectations from WMU faculty of what K-12 students interested in engineering or technology career paths should be able to do when they get to college. The K-12 teachers designed both the physical items or apparatus needed, and the associated lesson plans for their STEM projects. Some example materials designed by the K-12 teachers are found below.
