2023 Collaborative Network for Computing and Engineering Diversity (CoNECD)

Title: [PROGRAM] Engineering Kits

CoNECD Keywords: Pre-college, Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Engineering

The [PROGRAM] Engineering Kits began as a virtual STEM outreach program in 2020 in response to the pandemic and the cancellation of [COLLEGE PROGRAM] in-person summer programs for K-12 students. Now in its third year, the [PROGRAM] Engineering Kit program has transitioned and continues to expand to support hands-on learning opportunities for both area K-12 students as well as [COLLEGE] undergraduate students. The [PROGRAM] Engineering Kit program introduces K-12 students to foundational engineering concepts and includes a kit of basic materials, curriculum in English and Spanish, teacher support, and a survey assessment. The program is a collaboration between engineering based academic departments and student services at [UNIVERSITY] and K-12 teachers in [COUNTY] public schools, with financial support from industry partners.

In the first two years, 3,300 kits were distributed to local public schools, targeting school systems that serve underrepresented racial and ethnic demographics. The pilot [PROGRAM] Engineering Kit program used a purchased dragster kit with additional curriculum developed by an engineering faculty member. In 2021, the program engaged [COLLEGE] undergraduate students, k-12 teachers and students to collaboratively design and prototype a new kit through a multi-major service learning course. The new kit, including materials and curriculum, was produced at scale by undergraduates in an Entrepreneurial Design Realization course. This new kit, which utilizes a PropCart design to explore fuel efficiency, is being distributed to at least 4,000 local K-12 students over the next two years.

Future plans for this program include continuing to utilize the undergraduate courses to collaboratively design new kits for the development of an engineering curriculum library for K-12 educators that will expand the educational reach, focusing on underrepresented groups. Faculty and staff involved in the [PROGRAM] Engineering Kits provide an overview to the students of the importance of diversity and inclusion in engineering and how to develop engineering projects that are inclusive and engaging. Students are also challenged to think about how their designs can be used to engage students who might not be familiar with engineering.

The [PROGRAM] Engineering Kit program provides hands-on engineering activities and curriculum to K-12 students and teachers, community-based learning experience for undergraduate students, and supports direct engagement between K-12 students, teachers, and undergraduate students during the collaborative design process and culminating events. This creates a cohesive educational ecosystem working together to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering and broader access to engineering educational opportunities. This presentation covers program vision, inception, evolution, partnerships, funding, preliminary assessment, and lessons learned.

Note: If accepted, [PROGRAM], [COLLEGE PROGRAM], [COLLEGE], [UNIVERSITY], and [COUNTY] will be updated with actual information upon final submission.