Purdue creates engineering summer academy for elementary school teachers

The goals of the program are to foster an interest in engineering and ultimately increase the number and diversity of students entering the university to study engineering.

The Summer Academy at the Institute for Preschool-12 (P-12) Engineering Research and Learning, known as INSPIRE, is conducted by Purdue's Department of Engineering Education. The two-week project includes about 30 teachers from the Lafayette School Corp. and about 30 teachers from Indiana and all over the country, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois and California.

"One of our goals for this project is to help educators investigate how students in the preschool through 12th-grade classroom learn and how to encourage students to study engineering," said Kamyar Haghighi, head of the Purdue Department of Engineering Education and a professor of agricultural and biological engineering. "This academy and the Bechtel Fellows Program are the first of several programs funded through grants from Stephen D. Bechtel Jr. and the Martinson Family Foundation."

In March, Bechtel gave Purdue's Department of Engineering Education a $1 million grant, renewable for up to four additional years, to expand the university's P-12 educational research efforts. Bechtel earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1946 and an honorary doctorate in engineering in 1972 from Purdue. He serves as chairman emeritus of Bechtel Group Inc. in San Francisco, one of the nation's largest engineering and construction companies.

The Martinson Family Foundation of Lawrenceville, N.J., supports educational initiatives that encourage collaborations between universities and K-12 math and science educators.

The academy also will include teachers who are part of the Bechtel Fellows Program, which is taking place through July 19. Purdue's Bechtel Fellows Program is geared for preschool through 6th-grade educators from across the country who have exhibited a strong dedication to education and learning with an emphasis in the areas of math and science.

Teachers from the Bechtel Fellows Program are Laura Myers from McGary Middle School in Evansville, Ind., Holli Joyal from The Orchard School in Indianapolis and Megan Hatke from Glen Acres Elementary in Lafayette, Ind.

The first week of the academy ends today (Friday, June 30) and focuses on a program for educators teaching in grades three through six.

"The program is called 'Milton is Missing,' and it is a method to introduce the way engineers and scientists solve problems," said Teri Reed-Rhoads, assistant dean of engineering for undergraduate education, an associate professor of engineering education and program director. "A problem is presented — in this case a summer camp's mascot Milton is missing — and then clues are presented to solve the problem. Teachers will be able to take the 'Milton is Missing' curriculum and use it in their classrooms."

The project includes clues, such as the height of the suspects, a ransom note and items left behind by the suspects.

The academy's second week will be July 10-14 and will focus on a program for educators teaching in grades five and six. The "Mission to Mars" curriculum involves constructing a habitat on Mars that can sustain human and plant life.

"There are so many complex issues involved in creating such a habitat," said Heidi Diefes-Dux, associate professor of engineering education and interim managing director of the program. "Educators in the program will investigate ways to teach children about plant growth, ecosystems, water and waste treatment, recycling, and food production while employing engineering design strategies."

Teachers in both programs also will attend discussions about engineering education, receive math- and science-based lesson plans and work with Bechtel Fellows and researchers to create lesson plans in areas of engineering and individual interests.

Writer: Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192, csequin@purdue.edu

Sources: Kamyar Haghighi, (765) 494-3884, haghighi@purdue.edu

Heidi Diefes-Dux, (765) 494-3887, hdiefes@purdue.edu

Teri Reed-Rhoads, (765) 496-1316, trhoads@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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