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EngrTEAMS: Engineering to Transform the Education of Analysis, Measurement, and Science in a Team-Based Targeted Mathematics-Science Partnership
This project is increasing grade 4-8 student learning of science concepts, as well as mathematical concepts related to data analysis and measurement, by using an engineering design-based approach to teacher professional development and curricular development. The partnership involves the University of Minnesota's STEM Education Center and the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP), Purdue University's INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering, the Saint Paul Public Schools, the North Saint Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District, and the South Washington County Schools. These three school districts are contiguous, and represent schools that are inner city, urban, and suburban.

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Featured Content

EngrTEAMS: Engineering Design Process
Dr. Tamara Moore introduces the "Engineering Design Process - A Way to Improve" developed through the EngrTEAMS project. Focusing on the six-step design process, Dr. Moore explains how its use…
A Study of STEM Assessments in Engineering, Science, and Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Students
"The purpose of this study was to develop, scale, and validate assessments in engineering, science, and mathematics with grade appropriate items that were sensitive to the curriculum developed by teachers.…

Project Contributions

Understanding Science Teachers’ Implementations of Integrated STEM Curricular Units Through a Phenomenological Multiple Case Study
"Current reforms in K-12 STEM education call for integration between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Such integration of STEM disciplines at the K-12 level offers students an opportunity to…
Supporting Engineering Design Ideas with Science and Mathematics: A Case Study of Middle School Life Science Students
"Although engineering design is dependent upon the use of science and mathematics, the actual prototype, model, or solution that pre-college students generate can be accomplished without the students explicitly using…
What Makes Learning Physics Interesting? A Gender Study with Middle School Students
"This study examines 6th grade students perceptions of physics and physics-related careers. The overarching goal of this work is to understand similarities and differences between girls' and boys' perceptions of…
Informed Designers? Students’ Reflections on Their Engineering Design Process
"Assessment of students' critical thinking and problem solving in engineering is a real challenge for classroom teachers and researchers. Yet, students demonstrate evidence of learning through multiple means, including written…
The Impact of Design-Based STEM Integration Curricula on Student Achievement in Engineering, Science, and Mathematics
"The new science education reform documents call for integration of engineering into K-12 science classes. Engineering design and practices are new to most science teachers, meaning that implementing effective engineering…
Approaches to Integrating Engineering in STEM Units and Student Achievement Gains
"This study examined different approaches to integrating engineering practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum units. These various approaches were correlated with student outcomes on engineering assessment items.…
EngrTEAMS: Engineering Design Process
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . Dr. Tamara Moore introduces the "Engineering Design Process - A Way to Improve" developed through the EngrTEAMS project. Focusing on the six-step design process, Dr. Moore explains how its use…
Engineering Design in the Classroom: The EngrTEAMS Curriculum Project
Watch Video >> The Next Generation Science Standards and many state standards documents call for teachers to use engineering design to teach science in the classroom. The EngrTEAMS project is…
Building Up STEM: An Analysis of Teacher-Developed Engineering Design-Based STEM Integration Curricular Materials
"Improving K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has a priority on numerous education reforms in the United States. To that end, developing and sustaining quality programs that focus…
Student Interest in Engineering Design-Based Science
"Current reform efforts in science education around the world call on teachers to use integrated approaches to teach science. As a part of such reform efforts in the United States,…
Engineering Design in the Classroom: EngrTEAMS
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . This video shows how EngrTEAMS teaches engineering design in grade 4-8 classrooms. We have used the small sliders that you will see on the children's desks and beside the bigger…
Flood Rescue: A Gender-Inclusive Integrated STEM Curriculum Unit
"As national reform documents and movements in the United States, such as Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013), push K-12 educators to begin to include engineering and integration…
'If I Had To Do It, Then I Would': Understanding Early Middle School Students' Perceptions Of Physics And Physics-Related Careers By Gender
"This study examined the perceptions of 6th grade middle school students regarding physics and physics-related careers. The overarching goal of this work was to understand similarities and differences between girls'…
Students' Use of Evidence-Based Reasoning in K-12 Engineering: A Case Study
"The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), along with other documents related to K-12 policy and curriculum, have brought increased attention to engineering content and practices in K-12 classrooms. One of…
EngrTEAMS Project Video 2016
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . Engineering to Transform the Education of Analysis, Measurement & Science in a Team-based, Targeted Mathematics-Science Partnership: This overview video highlights the components of the EngrTEAMS project.
Development of an Instrument to Assess Attitudes Toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
"There is a need for more students to be interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers to advance U.S. competitiveness and economic growth. A consensus exists that improving…
A Study of STEM Assessments in Engineering, Science, and Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Students
"The purpose of this study was to develop, scale, and validate assessments in engineering, science, and mathematics with grade appropriate items that were sensitive to the curriculum developed by teachers.…
Teachers' Use of Argumentation in the Development of Integrated STEM Curricula
"This case study has provided cursory insight into the use of argumentation within the development of integrated STEM curricula. All of the curricula contain elements of argumentation, though the number…
Artificial Floating Islands: An Integrated STEM Unit
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . The integrated science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) unit described in this article focuses on Artificial Floating Islands (AFIs), humanmade structures capable of supporting aquatic vegetation on a floating platform.…
Publications associated with EngrTEAMS
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . This page lists all papers and presentations associated with the EngrTEAMS project, including: Published Journal Papers Journal Papers in Press Scientific Papers Published in Conference Proceedings Conference presentations, papers, or…
STEM integration in the middle grades: A case study of teacher implementation
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . Currently, there is a movement in precollege education to include engineering in the science curriculum. In the classroom, one manner of adding engineering to the precollege curricula is through STEM…
Classroom discourse development for "Flipping classrooms": Theoretical concepts, practices, and joint efforts from engineering students and instructors
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . This study applies discourse analysis using revised taxonomy to evaluate the effectiveness of the instructional model and assess students' learning gains simultaneously. It examines conditions for the development of classroom…
STEM Integration: Evidence of Student Learning in Design-Based Curricula
Posted by: Barbara Wojcik . This study focuses on student learning of engineering design practices and the development of engineering thinking skills during participation in design-based curricular activities and will seek to answer the question:…
Engineering to Enhance STEM Integration Efforts
"Currently, there is a movement in K-12 education to include engineering academic standards in the science curriculum. The Next Generation Science Standards, which include engineering design learning ideas, are starting…
Examination of Integrated STEM Curricula as a Means Toward Quality K- 12 Engineering Education (Research to Practice)
"For some time now, educators and policy makers have been focused on improving both education and career preparedness in the fields of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (STEM). This push…
STEM Education Center receives $8M National Science Foundation grant
"The STEM Education Center has received an $8 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation, to partner with 200 Twin Cities metro area teachers to increase science and math…