2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This Work-in-Progress (WIP) project engaged five high school teachers in translating advanced manufacturing concepts into accessible, hands-on learning modules for secondary students. As advanced manufacturing continues to transform industry and society, there is an increasing need to prepare students at earlier stages to understand, experience, and aspire toward careers in this field. Through a collaborative co-design model, K-12 teachers, educational researchers, and engineering faculty developed and implemented curriculum units emphasizing key domains of modern manufacturing, including smart manufacturing, computer numerical control, automation in facility design, and robotics. Each instructional unit spanned approximately four weeks and integrated engineering design and hands-on activities into authentic problem solving contexts to foster curiosity and career awareness of advanced manufacturing among high school students. The co-design process ensured that lessons were pedagogically sound and technically current, aligning with authentic practices in advanced manufacturing. Faculty and researchers provided technical support, classroom visits, and feedback to help teachers translate complex engineering processes into meaningful student experiences. Preliminary observations indicate that students exposed to these modules demonstrated increased engagement with engineering concepts and heightened interest in manufacturing-related career pathways. This work underscores the value of researcher-practitioner partnerships in expanding access to emerging technologies and preparing students for the future manufacturing workforce. The project provided a scalable framework for integrating advanced manufacturing into high school curricula through interdisciplinary collaboration.