2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Pre-College Microelectronics Curriculum Units Developed Using an Integrated Microelectronics Framework (Resource Exchange)

Presented at Instructional Showcases

Project Description: Using the Microelectronics Integration Curriculum Development Framework, 12 K-12 instructional units were co-developed and implemented with 68 participating teachers to introduce microelectronics-related content, contexts, and careers into pre-college classrooms. SCALE K-12 curriculum is aligned to national and state standards and covers a variety of content areas in primary and secondary education including science, mathematics, art, engineering/technology, and English/language arts. All 12 units included in this curriculum/resource exchange are available to the public electronically through https://www.scalek12.org. Below are short overviews of three of the units.

Trekking Across the Periodic Table (8th – 10th Grade Science): In this integrated chemistry and physics unit, students learn about microelectronics concepts and tools through the context of space exploration. Students crash-land on an unknown planet shortly after they are sent on a mission to evaluate galaxies, looking for planets which may be suitable for microchip production. The students need to utilize basic materials like breadboards and learn about circuits and energy transfer in order to continue on with their mission. Students then learn about the periodic table, pure substances, and properties of elements in order to evaluate potential resources located on the unknown planet. Students also explore the specific elements and materials used to manufacture microchips. By the end of the unit, students synthesize everything they have learned to develop a coded radio-frequency scanning device using nested conditional statements and micro:bits. This device is used to help students evaluate the potential resources across the unknown planet and to report the findings of their mission to the command center.

Microelectronic Masterpieces: Hello Dalí (4th – 6th Grade Art): In this unit, students explore the principles of surrealism through Salvador Dalí’s “The Persistence of Memory”. The unit begins with an introduction to Micro:bits, where students learn about block coding, microelectronics, and concepts like RGB color and movement. They read the book “Just Being Dalí: The Story of Artist Salvador Dalí” to understand his life and work, with a focus on key terms such as Surrealism and Persistence of Memory. Students examine Dalí‘s famous painting, focusing on the melting clocks, and use templates to design their own surreal clocks. These projects then integrate micro:bit components like neo-pixel rings and servo motors to enhance the surrealist principles of their clock design. As students design and build their clocks, they use block-based coding to program the micro:bits and incorporate electronic elements. Throughout the unit, students engage in hands-on design work and practice troubleshooting both hardware and software. By the end of the unit, they create functional clocks that combine artistic vision and technical skills. Additionally, students respond to a museum curator’s request as they learn about museum etiquette and art conservation. They explore how technologies like micro:bits, programmed to detect environmental factors, help preserve artwork. The unit concludes with a gallery walk displaying the students’ masterpieces.

Who Let the Dogs Out? (3rd Grade): Happy Dog Fence Company is partnering with the Mayor of Wooferton, Laverne Doxson, to design a new dog Bark Park. Mayor Doxson's dog recently escaped from the community Bark Park, prompting a community discussion on using technology to make the Bark Park more secure for all. After analyzing Bark Park usage data, researching microelectronics used in dog park safety, and reviewing simple machines, students will be invited to use technology to create a new, secure space for their four-legged friends. Students are tasked with calculating area, calculating perimeter, reading and interpreting various graphs, and designing/testing/evaluating microelectronic safety features for the dogs and the play area. Utilizing the Engineering Design Process, students will build working microelectronic park safety features. Finally, students will present their prototype Bark Park design and justify their design decisions with evidence

Authors

Prof. Tamara J Moore http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7956-4479 Purdue University at West Lafayette (PWL) (COE) [biography]

Tamara J. Moore, Ph.D., is a Professor of Engineering Education and University Faculty Scholar at Purdue University, as well as the Executive Co-Director of the INSPIRE Research Institute for Precollege Engineering. Dr. Moore's research is focused on the integration of STEM concepts in K-12 and postsecondary classrooms in order to help students make connections among the STEM disciplines and achieve deep understanding. Her work investigates engineering design-based STEM integration, computational thinking, and integration of high-level content in K-14 spaces. She is creating and testing innovative, interdisciplinary curricular approaches that engage students in developing models of real-world problems and their solutions.
Siddika Selcen Guzey Purdue University at West Lafayette (PWL) (COE) [biography]

Dr. Guzey is a professor of science education at Purdue University. Her research and teaching focus on integrated STEM Education.
Dr. Greg J Strimel http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4847-4526 Purdue University at West Lafayette (PPI) [biography]

Greg J. Strimel, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Technology Leadership and Innovation and coordinator of the Design and Innovation Minor at Purdue University. Dr. Strimel conducts research on design pedagogy, cognition, and assessment as well as the pre
Dr. Morgan M Hynes Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Dr. Morgan Hynes is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University and Director of the FACE Lab research group at Purdue. In his research, Hynes explores the use of engineering to integrate academic subjects in K-12 cla
Dr. Kerrie A Douglas http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2693-5272 Purdue University at West Lafayette (PWL) (COE) [biography]

Dr. Douglas is an Associate Professor in the Purdue School of Engineering Education. Her research is focused on improving methods of assessment in engineering learning environments and supporting engineering students.
Dr. Molly H Goldstein http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2382-4745 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign [biography]

Dr. Molly H. Goldstein is a Teaching Assistant Professor and Product Design Lab Director in Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering at the Grainger College at the University of Illinois. She is also courtesy faculty in Mechanical Science and Engineering, Curriculum & Instruction (College of Education) and Industrial Design (School of Fine and Applied Arts). Dr. Goldstein’s research focuses on student designers through the study of their design actions and thinking.
Dr. Rick Hill University of Detroit Mercy [biography]

Dr. Richard Hill is a Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Engineering & Science at University of Detroit Mercy. Dr. Hill received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1998, and an M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2000. He joined the faculty of Detroit Mercy in 2008 after receiving a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His research interests lie in the areas of vehicle control, control and diagnosis of discrete-event systems, modular and hierarchical control, and engineering education. Dr. Hill also has a strong interest in diversifying the STEM pipeline and leads the innovating Detroit’s Robotics Agile Workforce (iDRAW) program in partnership with underserved Detroit-area high schools.
Imani Adams Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Imani Adams is a Ph.D. student at Purdue University in Engineering Education. Prior to starting her Ph.D., Imani worked in industry for ten years after completing her M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Imani’s research interest is in African American youth engagement with engineering in formal and informal spaces. Apart from academics, Imani is involved with Purdue’s Engineering Education Graduate Student Association and the Black Graduate Student Association.
Vanessa Blas University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
Victoria Constantine Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)
Emily M. Haluschak Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Emily M. Haluschak is a PhD student in the school of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Emily is interested in leveraging integrated curriculum development in K-12 settings to positively impact underserved populations in the field of engineering. She utilizes past experiences in STEM program evaluation, education policy, and chemical engineering research.
Miss Rachel E. Higbee http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6011-9279 Purdue University at West Lafayette (PWL) (COE) [biography]

Rachel is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow pursuing her PhD in Engineering Education at Purdue University. She has earned a BS in Civil Engineering from LeTourneau University and MS in Environmental Engineering from Purdue. Rachel's current research focuses on assessment of K-12 environmental justice curriculum, but she also has experience in curriculum writing, K-12 microelectronics, photochemistry, water quality, PFAS remediation, and disinfection.
Joshua E. Katz http://orcid.org/0009-0001-3320-2536 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Joshua E. Katz is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, DELTA program, at UIUC, where his research centers on collaborative learning in engineering education and other STEM disciplines. He obtained his B.S. in Technology and Engineering Education in 2019 and his M.S. in STEM Education and Leadership in 2021 from Illinois State University. Additionally, he holds a professional educator license for secondary education in Technology and Engineering Education in Illinois.
Maxwell Lee Beach University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Deana Lucas Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Deana M. Lucas is a PhD student in the Technology Leadership and Innovation Department at Purdue University. Deana's background in Technology and Engineering Education drives her passion for working in spaces where disciplinary content converges. Her research spans both K-12 and higher education environments.
Christine H. McDonnell Purdue University at West Lafayette (PWL) (COE) [biography]

Christine is a PhD student in the school of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Christine is interested in exploring the connections between integrated STEM education in K-12 classroom settings and the impact on student learning, career interests, and reducing premature departure from STEM pathways.
Ms. Azizi Penn Purdue Engineering Education [biography]

Azizi Penn is a professional software engineer, a professor at California State University, Sacramento, and an engineering education Ph.D. student. Prior to and during her graduate work, she developed a passion for providing engineering practice experiences to pre-college students.
Brian Povilus University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
Mr. Bruce Wellman Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE) [biography]

Bruce Wellman is a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT, Chemistry) who taught high school chemistry and engineering for 22 years. He is currently a doctoral student in the Engineering Education Department at Purdue University
Tugba Abanoz Visiting Scholar to Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE), Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences
JaKobi Burton Purdue University at West Lafayette (COE)
Anne DeLion Purdue Engineering Education
Jennifer Heap Purdue Engineering Education [biography]

Jennifer Heap is a Project Manager for SCALE K-12 at Purdue University’s School of Engineering Education. With a background in education, she is passionate about leveraging her experience to enhance STEM learning in K-12 classrooms. Jennifer is dedicated to fostering innovative approaches that inspire the next generation of learners and educators in the STEM fields.
Rena Ann Sterrett Purdue Engineering Education

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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