Tools for Teaching and Learning Engineering Practices: Pathways Towards Productive Identity Work in Engineering

探索研究K-12计划（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源，模型和工具（RMT），显着提高学前班学生和教师的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，这些研究和开发工作为拟议项目提供了理论和经验依据。认同工程是至关重要的，以帮助学生追求工程事业。这个项目是为了解决这个长期存在的大规模问题。I-Engineering框架和工具解决了学习问题（支持学生学习工程设计）和身份问题（支持学生认识到他们属于工程）。I-Engineering将支持身份开发作为学习工程中两个核心实践的一部分：1）定义问题和2）设计解决方案。特别是，I-Engineering框架和工具将帮助中等年级的教师和学生使用有意义的，真实的，往往是青年驱动的背景下从事工程设计过程。该项目将在两个工程设计挑战中开展这项工作：1）安全和绿色通勤，2）便携式能源，这两个挑战都是可持续社区的工程。其目标是：1）在学习工程的背景下，发展基于研究的理解，如何支持来自代表性不足背景的中学生的身份发展。2)开发和完善一个框架和工具（I-Engineering），以支持学生在工程学中的学习和身份发展，重点是可持续性。 3)与6年级和7年级的教师合作，实施和完善I-工程课堂使用。4)研究I-工程框架/工具是否支持来自代表性不足背景的中学生在工程方面的身份发展。该项目利用基于设计的实施研究，在6年级和7年级的学生和教师中开发和测试I-工程框架和工具。运用社会实践理论，将学习环境塑造身份发展的各个方面进行识别，得出信息对教学工具产生的影响。研究问题基于两个方面：支持工程中的身份发展，了解学生如何在工程发展中取得进展，以及I-工程资源的实施模式。研究将揭示支持工程中身份发展的机制，如何构建这种支架，以及这种支架如何在环境中运输。混合方法的学生和课堂水平的研究将允许经验索赔如何以及在什么条件下，来自代表性不足的背景的青年可能会在他们的身份发展工程进展。该研究计划包括学生的案例研究借鉴基于任务的访谈，观察和学生的工作和课堂研究，使用观察，学生和教师的访谈，工程身份调查，学生的工作和工程实践的形成性评估。I-Engineering将覆盖500多名学生和他们的老师，这些学生和老师来自那些代表性不足的人群。项目小组将传播研究结果、框架和工具，以支持工程实践教学，并促进对身份发展在扩大参与方面的重要性的理解。

The Discovery Research K-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools (RMTs). Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. Identifying with engineering is critical to help students pursue engineering careers. This project responds to this persistent large-scale problem. The I-Engineering framework and tools address both the learning problem (supporting students in learning engineering design) and the identity problem (supporting students in recognizing that they belong in engineering). I-Engineering will support identity development as a part of learning two core practices in engineering: 1) defining problems and 2) designing solutions. In particular, the I-Engineering framework and tools will help middle grades teachers and students engage in the engineering design process using meaningful, authentic and often youth-driven contexts. The project will ground this work in two engineering design challenges: 1) safe and green commutes and 2) portable energy, both of which exemplify engineering for sustainable communities. The objectives are to: 1) To develop research-based understandings of how to support identity development among middle school students from underrepresented backgrounds in the context of learning engineering. 2) To develop and refine a framework and tools (I-Engineering) in support of student learning and identity development in engineering with a focus on sustainability. 3) To collaborate with grades 6 and 7 teachers to implement and refine I-Engineering for classroom use. 4) To study whether the I-Engineering framework/tools support identity development in engineering among middle school students from underrepresented backgrounds. The project draws upon design-based implementation research to develop and test the I-Engineering framework and tools among students and teachers in grades 6 and 7. Using social practice theory, how aspects of the learning environment shape identity development will be identified, yielding information on the impact of the instructional tools generated. The research questions are grounded in two areas: supporting identity development in engineering, understanding how students progress in their engineering development and patterns across implementation of the I-Engineering resources. Studies will shed light on mechanisms that support identity development in engineering, how that might be scaffolded, and how such scaffolds can transport across context. The mixed-method student- and classroom-level studies will allow for empirical claims regarding how and under what conditions youth from underrepresented backgrounds may progress in their identity development in engineering. The research plan includes student case studies drawing on task-based interviews, observations and student work and classroom studies using observations, student and teacher interviews, an engineering identity survey, student work and formative assessments of engineering practices. I-Engineering will reach over 500 students and their teachers in schools that serve predominantly underrepresented populations. The project team will disseminate the findings, framework and tools in support of teaching engineering practices, and promoting understanding of the importance of identity development in broadening participation.