Integrating the Engineering Design Process (EDP) into a Sustainability Project

This science methods course is for K-8 preservice teachers who are either undergraduates (juniors or seniors) or graduate students in the Masters in Teaching (MIT) program. The PST typically do not have any background in engineering prior to this methods course. The PSTs have had general science courses such as General Biology, Geology, Astronomy, or General Science. A few have had an introductory Environmental Science course.

This assignment and the EDP and Sustainability activities included under Supporting Materials have the potential to be completed in a virtual format if the course is not being taught face-to-face. The class discussions would be done in synchronous class zoom meetings and the activities in small groups using zoom Breakout Rooms. The materials needed for the Dog Bowl activity would have to be supplied to students in advance. Students would work on their group projects on their own and then do their presentations via zoom using PowerPoint.

Prior to doing this activity, PSTs will need to understand the differences between science and engineering, have had experiences completing two simple EDP activities (innovation and invention), the "Time to Innovate" spoon activity and the "Design a Better Dog Bowl" activity. The PSTs will need to have an understanding of the full EDP such as described by Capobianco, DeLisi and Radloff's (2018): problem scoping and information gathering, solution formulation, solution production and performance, communication and documentation of results and optimization. The PSTs need to have an introduction to the real world of engineering design. This can be done through having PSTs watch videos such as "The Deep Dive" about redesigning a shopping cart or "The Ingenious Design of the Aluminum Beverage Can" (both You Tube videos).
PSTs also have engaged in readings and discussions about what sustainability means and about Education for Sustainability, been introduced to the state's ESE standards, and participated in an activity on sustainability: "Organic or In-organic Apple?". Descriptions and materials for these activities are included under Supporting Materials.

This project assignment begins after the PSTs have spent one class on the NGSS Engineering Practices and the EDP and part of one class on an introduction to sustainability and participated in the sustainability activity. This works best towards the end of the semester after PSTs have had an introduction to general science education concepts in assessment, lesson planning, project based-learning, the 5 E model, teacher and student roles in student focused science investigations, and the NGSS. The PSTs need to have been introduced to the challenges and important aspects of project-based learning (PBL) since this assignment requires them to both experience PBL themselves and plan for using it in their future classrooms. I use a list of recommended steps for PBL, such as the Seven Essential Steps for PBL, listed under the references.

The goals for this activity are to increase PSTs understanding of the EDP and engage in engineering practices in a real-world project to solve a sustainability problem related to their own community and school. The main goal is to provide PSTs with the experience of planning this type of project and engaging in part of the EDP themselves in order that they will be more comfortable doing a similar project when they have their own classrooms. PSTs will improve in the following knowledge, skills and disposition areas:

Knowledge goals/NGSS DCIs:

• ETS1.A Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems

NGSS Cross Cutting Concepts:

• Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World
• Cause and Effect
• Systems and System Models

Skills goals/NGSS S&E Practices

• Defining Problems
• Developing Models
• Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Common Core State Standards:
ELA/Literacy

• Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the topic knowledgeably
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research

Mathematics

• Reason abstractly and quantitatively
• Model with mathematics
• Use appropriate tools strategically

Dispositions goals

• Improve PSTs' attitudes towards the EDP
• Increase the likelihood that PST will use the EDP in their future classrooms
• Provide PSTs with an introduction to Sustainability concepts and education strategies for sustainability

Identify and Define the Problem(s): The project starts with PSTs brainstorming a topic or selecting one from the provided list for their integration of EDP in a Sustainability Project. The topic area they brainstorm needs to be community or school-based, relevant to K-8 students' lives, and provide an opportunity to plan for using the EDP when determining solutions. The PSTs work in groups of 3-4 and there may be multiple groups focused on the same topic. Some possible provided topics to help PSTs start thinking about this project are: Recycling, The Food You Eat (School Garden), or Food Waste/Composting. These three have regularly surfaced when PSTs in my class do a Sustainability Project (not involving EDP) so I know PSTs are both interested in and have some confidence taking on projects within these topic areas.

PSTs working in each topic area identify a problem or issue that could be addressed using the EDP. For example, if the PST group decides on a project that focuses on implementing school gardens to increase students' understanding of plants, nutrition, and sustainability, then the EDP that they identify needs to provide a solution for an issue that might be encountered in that topic area. To address the lack of an on-site garden, the PSTs might identify building raised beds as a solution, constructing an irrigation system, or building a compost area. In the topic of recycling, to address a lack of recycling in a school, the PSTs might identify issues such setting up recycling bin areas, separating recycled materials, or getting a school-wide program in place. For the topic of Food Waste, to address the problem of large amounts of food being thrown away, the PSTs might identify issues such as implementing a composting system or a program to reduce waste which would involve identifying waste and tracking food consumption. Each group will identify one EDP problem or issue to be addressed.

Coming up with a topic area and a problem that can be tackled using the EDP is not easy for most PSTs. They struggle with this part of the assignment and ask for more direction; it is important for them to experience the ambiguity and openness of this part of the assignment in order for them to be prepared to support their future students in project-based learning.

Research Possible Solutions: The specific area of focus for the EDP needs to be researched first so that the PSTs have enough information to move forward with their design for a solution (ELA connections). For example, if the group decides to focus on designing raised beds for their project on school gardens, the PSTs will read about raised beds, go outside to look at the campus raised beds, and talk to experts (Extension, Master Gardeners) about constructing raised beds. For the recycling focus area, the research will need to cover what recycling is currently being done in the community and how it could be extended to the school, research on successful school recycling programs, and recommendations for implementing a program and educating users. The research done on a Food waste topic might include researching what the school spends on food and how and why certain food is ordered and served. It might include conducting research to find out from the students at the school what food is thrown out and why, what food would be more acceptable, and whether or not the students at the school would participate in a composting program. The PSTs might focus on researching recommendations for composting food waste and designing containers and a system to deal with composted material.

All their notes on their selection of a topic area and identification of a problem or issue and all copies of printed material or citations of sources from the research they conduct are included in their science notebooks.

Plan Multiple Solutions: The PST groups brainstorm possible solutions to their specific problem. They are required to sketch diagrams, generate lists, and document their ideas. Their solutions need to include specifications such as: materials, all costs, time needed, personnel, etc. In the raised bed example, PSTs draw possible bed designs, describe the specific materials needed and their costs, describe possible site selection for raised beds, and how long construction might take (mathematics, science connections). The PSTs develop plans for solutions to address the issues they have identified but it is beyond the scope of the methods class for them to actually build or test out their solutions. The process that they follow involves identification of the issue, researching all aspects of the proposed solution, presenting the plan for feedback, incorporating feedback, revising and finalizing the plan, and presenting a final solution.

Presenting the Plan: Each group's plan is presented to the rest of the groups in the class as part of the development process. The presentation is called the "Critical Design Review" to differentiate it from the "Final Presentation". It is important to tell the PSTs that this presentation is similar to what engineers use when they are presenting designs to their clients to get their feedback. This planning presentation is not graded but should include a PowerPoint that clearly communicates the problem being addressed and descriptions of the possible solutions that the group has determined are the most feasible. The other members of the class provide feedback and ask questions which are used to finalize the plan for the final presentation and submission to the instructor. The instructor also provides feedback during the planning presentation to be used in revisions. Specific prompts are provided to the audience/peer reviewers to use when providing feedback during the planning presentations. This ensures that the presenters will get meaningful feedback and not just responses such as "looks good!"; the list of Planning Presentation Prompts is included in Supporting Materials.
At this point in the assignment, it is critical to have a discussion with the PSTs explicitly stating that they have not completed the EDP at this point but have defined the problem and developed some possible solutions but not tested these out. They must understand that in order to complete the EDP, they would actually build the models or prototypes of their solutions, test them out, refine them, and propose a possible solution based on the test results. 

Pedagogical Discussions: Throughout this activity it is important to ask the PSTs to wear both their student and their teacher hats. They should think about the problems in the EDP that might be meaningful to their students and ones that their students could undertake to plan a solution for and understand the elements of. They also should think about how this process will help their future students understand engineering, engage in engineering practices, and see themselves as engineers. 

While the PSTs do not actually build or carry out their proposed solutions, they spend time thinking about how that aspect of the project might look in a classroom. An assignment connected to this project is writing a lesson plan for a specific grade level based on implementing a project similar to their EDP in Sustainability Project. The lesson plan assignment is separate from this EDP project but incorporates all the same aspects with the addition of having the students in the PSTs' classroom actually carry out addressing and building the solutions. 

• Innovate Time Design a Better Spoon Activity (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 173kB Aug18 20) 
• The Engineering Design Process- Build a Better Dog Bowl Activity (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 1.4MB Aug18 20) 
• Education for Sustainability- Organic vs Inorganic Apple (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 80kB Aug18 20) 
• Assignments and Rubrics (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Aug18 20) 
• Critical Design Review Prompts for Reviewers (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 12kB Aug18 20)

Throughout the EDP Sustainability project, the instructor explicitly points out to the PSTs that as they are going through their planning for doing an activity involving the EDP, they are following the EDP: defining a problem, proposing and planning solutions, revising their solutions based on feedback from their peers, and presenting a possible solution but they are not completing the full EDP cycle.

This activity is assessed through two products: the individual work each PST enters into their science notebook and the groups' final presentation. The "Critical Design Reviews" are not graded. The assignment description with the rubric and points possible are included in Supporting Materials.

Capobianco, B. M., DeLisi, J., & Radloff, J. (2018). Characterizing elementary teachers' enactment of high‐leverage practices through engineering design‐based science instruction. Science Education, 102(2), 342-376.

Lists the stages of design as problem scoping and information gathering, solution formulation, solution production and performance, communication and documentation of results and optimization.

Larmer, J., & Mergendoller, J. R. (2010). Giving students meaningful work. Educational Leadership. September; Volume 68 (1), 34-37:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/sept10/vol68/num01 Seven_Essential_for_Project-based_Learning.aspx