2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

To complement existing work developing approaches for broadening participation in engineering by bringing engineering into K -12 spaces, this work-in-progress paper will share one potential approach for enabling K-12 students to understand engineering jobs and engineering careers. The dominant stories about engineering in the media illustrate a field with a chronic shortage of engineers where “doing engineering” is about math, science, and building. Recent literature reviews examining engineering practice and engineering careers provide a broader picture of what engineers do within their positions and how we conceptualize an engineering career. The purpose of the study described in this WIP is to create representations of engineering work and careers for K-12 students through the use of engineering case studies.

Engineering case studies are accounts of engineering problems encountered by engineering professionals in the field or an account of how an engineering job was done for a specific project. The structure of a case study includes a narrative of a real engineering scenario, real data, and suited to the level of the students. Research on the use of engineering case studies in undergraduate engineering has suggested case studies support students in developing various engineering concepts, technical skills, and an appreciation for what an engineering job would be like. Engineering cases have been used successfully at the middle and high school levels to support students' interest in engineering and understanding of design concepts. Increasing upper elementary students' understanding of engineering before middle school is important as these grade-level students begin to decide if STEM-related careers such as engineering are possible. However, research on the use or design of engineering case studies for students at the elementary level is limited. A qualitative design was used to answer the following research question: What components within an engineering case study at the elementary level are needed to illustrate engineering work, careers, and the real-world application of engineering concepts? The sources used to develop an appropriate case study to be piloted with elementary students include literature on pre-college engineering skills, existing literature on engineering practice and careers, and feedback from engineering professionals. The resulting case study will focus on engineering concepts related to ceramics and polymers.

This work-in-progress paper will provide an overview of the process for developing the case as well as a review of existing K-12 engineering case studies. Following that review, a synthesis of existing literature on pre-college engineering skills, engineering practice, and engineering careers. An initial version of one case study will be shared, along with preliminary feedback from engineering professionals. Case studies that can provide more accurate representations of engineering practice and careers and promote interest in engineering will continue to support existing efforts to integrate engineering into K-12 education.