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Session Description

The objectives of this workshop are to 1) have participants engage in discourse around the current state of teaching the Nature of Engineering (NOE) and the rationale for explicitly teaching the NOE 2) participate in a hands-on group activity that models explicitly teaching NOE concepts and 3) understand how they can incorporate these concepts and practices into their own classrooms, camps, and workshops, as they teach current and future undergraduate engineering students and pre-college teachers.
High school and college students often have misconceptions about the field of engineering and what it is that engineers do. As a result, instructors must overtly include accurate ideas about the Nature of Engineering (NOE) in their teaching. In this workshop, participants will engage in a decontextualized, collaborative activity to understand concepts related to the Nature of Engineering and the importance of explicitly incorporating NOE ideas in their classrooms. Participants will engage in conversation about current high school and undergraduate engineering students and their perceptions of what engineering is and what engineers do. Through discussion, workshop participants will develop a rationale for why we must explicitly teach concepts regarding the Nature of Engineering. Then, the audience will participate in a small group decontextualized activity (Lego Bank) that demonstrates how to explicitly teach NOE ideas. After completing the lesson, participants will discuss the teaching strategies and decisions made during the lesson sequence and apply the ideas to their own practices in their classrooms. Workshop leaders will also provide participants with evidence-based research and articles that support explicitly teaching the Nature of Engineering.

Speakers

1. Rachelle Pederson

   Rachelle Pedersen is a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M studying Curriculum & Instruction (Emphasis in Engineering & Science Education). She has a M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction from Texas A&M University and a B.S. in Engineering Science (Technology Education) from Colorado State University. Her research focuses on motivation and social influences (e.g. mentoring and identity development) that support underrepresented students in STEM fields. Prior to graduate school, Rachelle taught high school technology and engineering education (Robotics/Engineering, AP Computer Science, and Video Production).

2. Mr. Lance Leon Allen White

   Texas A&M University

   Lance L.A. White is a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University in the Multidisciplinary Engineering
   Department working in Engineering Education as a specialty with particular focus on diversity, equity,
   and inclusion (DEI) research centered around underrepresented minorities in engineering, such as Latinx engineering students. He completed a M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Texas A&M University with a focus in experimental thermal hydraulics and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from West Texas A&M University. He is a graduate assistant researcher at the Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation at Texas A&M University. His dissertation research is focusing on engineering degree program curricula and how those curricula differ between university types (i.e. Land Grant, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), etc.) and how those differences graduate distinctly different engineers. His research is predominantly qualitative, but has worked on multi-method, mixed-method, and quantitative research as well. His research interests
   include underrepresented populations in engineering, Latinx issues in engineering, social justice discourse amongst engineering educators, high-impact extracurricular experiential learning for engineering students, and broadening participation for engineering as a discipline.

3. Dr. Karan Watson P.E.

   Texas A&M University

   Karan L. Watson, Ph.D., P.E., is currently Provost Emeritus and a Regents Senior Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, having joined the faculty at Texas A&M University in 1983 as an Assistant Professor. She served as the Co-Director of the Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation and is currently a distinguished fellow of this Institute. She has served in numerous administrative roles at Texas A&M University, including, provost and executive vice president, vice provost, dean of faculties and associate provost, interim VP for diversity, associate dean of Engineering, and program chair for interdisciplinary engineering. Dr. Watson is a fellow of three organizations The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the American Society for Engineering Education, and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Her awards and recognitions include the U.S. President’s Award for Mentoring Minorities and Women in Science and Technology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science mentoring award, the IEEE International Undergraduate Teaching Medal, the American Society for Engineering Education Lifetime Achievement Award, and numerous faculty awards at Texas A&M University. She has served as President of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and the President of the Education Society of IEEE.