Combining Engineering and Mathematics in an Urban Middle School Classroom. Abstract

Transcription

1 Session T3B1 Combining Engineering and Mathematics in an Urban Middle School Classroom Pete Hylton Mechanical Engineering Technology Department Purdue School of Engineering and Technology Indiana University / Purdue University at Indianapolis Wendy Otoupal Middle School Mathematics Key Learning Community Indianapolis Public Schools Abstract Minority and female students are, and historically have been, significantly under represented in Engineering and Technology programs at universities across the country. This has been documented to be associated with a low self confidence in their mathematics and science abilities 1. The authors recently worked with students from an urban school system, selected because they showed potential in science and engineering. The students, over 50% female, and nearly 90% minority, showed an increase in self confidence based on behavioral observation and increased intrinsic motivation, as well as a documented improvement in ability, after exposure to a teaching strategy that the authors call Mathematics with Real World Correlation. The approach involved introducing students in the 8 th and 9 th grades to simple engineering concepts that they could recognize from their world. The engineering behind simple devices or processes was examined using scientific methods. Additionally, the mathematics necessary to evaluate the examples was developed. Students showed a significant improvement in comprehension of the technology concepts, as well as a noticeable gain in the associated math skills. Perhaps of even greater import was the obvious increase in self confidence, particularly among female students.

2 One of the stumbling blocks for many college students considering an engineering or technology career, is their difficulty in mathematics. Unfortunately, too many students, by the time they reach middle school, have decided that the math they see in the classroom does not teach them anything useful for the real world. The approach discussed by the authors utilizes common every-day examples that are designed to capture the students interest and encourage them to develop and apply the math skills necessary to analyze the engineering aspects of the real world examples. This not only keeps their interest in technology careers alive, but it helps them develop the math skills they will need for success. Introduction Teaching Mathematics in an urban Middle School is one of the more challenging jobs in education today. Many of the students have already developed an attitude of I m never going to use this, so why should I learn it. It is no wonder that only about 10% 2 of students in collegiate Engineering and Technology programs are minority when many of these students have chosen not to master the basic mathematics skills while in Middle School. This problem is even worse when dealing with minority females, because only 20% of engineering students are women 3, and female graduates comprise only 8.5% of practicing engineers 1. So, minorities and women are both significantly underrepresented in Engineering and Technology programs. The authors have had unique opportunities to work with students who fall into these two categories in an environment that permitted them to attempt some new approaches to fostering and maintaining interest in engineering related subjects. Thinking Like an Engineer in Middle School After 28 years in engineering related jobs in the aerospace industry, Wendy Otoupal opted for a career change, and returned to classroom teaching Mathematics to Middle School students. However, after nearly three decades of thinking like an engineer, she could not simply change the way she thought. Fortunately, her school, the Key Learning Community, is a designated developmental site within the Indianapolis Public Schools system. This afforded her the opportunity to utilize curriculum and classroom approaches that were quite different than most students in the system were seeing. In her first year, 2002, she adopted an approach of teaching investigative learning and problem solving. In other words, she forced the students to think like engineers, analyze their problems, propose solutions, investigate the results, and learn from their missteps. One example of this was to use simple engineering concepts during a bridge construction study. Students constructed a number of beams of various thickness, cross-section, and length using paper materials. They applied weights to the various beams until they found the failure load. The students gathered and plotted this data to analyze the effects of the

3 various parameters and developed mathematical relationships. This allowed them to project the best types of beams for construction. Rather than being force-fed rote learning techniques, the Key Middle School students participated in inquiry based investigations. After only two years of working with the Key students and this inquiry based learning approach, significant gains in ISTEP math scores could be noted, as shown in Table 1. Table 1 Comparison of ISTEP Scores for Eighth Grade Math 6 Before and After Introducing Mathematics with Real World Correlation Year Percent of Students Passing Key School All IPS % 29% % 32% % 36% Connecting Math with Real World Interests Professor Pete Hylton of the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI had also spent 25 years in the aerospace industry prior to making a career change to academia. He shared the belief that the way to increase interest in mathematics was to draw a connection with real world subjects. Last summer he had the opportunity to test this theory with a month long summer program for 9 th grade students from the same Indianapolis Public Schools system. The class was all minority, and predominantly female. He was allowed to design his own course, and focused on using real world examples, many of them connected to his own auto racing hobby. Students were introduced to the concept of mechanical advantage and shown how they use it every day without realizing it. Examples ranged from tools like pliers to car jacks. Study of simple mechanisms like these is not currently part of the state standards for students at this grade level. Students were shown how to determine the amount of mechanical advantage, and how to improve on it to make their lives easier. In the process, they had to use math concepts of ratios and algebraic reasoning. But using this approach, they had a clear reason to use the math. Similarly, when friction was introduced, it was in the context of how to keep a car on the road, rather than in the ditch, when rounding a corner. This greatly increased the desire of the students to understand the concept. Students were also introduced to simple structural mechanics concepts including how to break forces into vectors and, similar to

4 Wendy Otoupal s class, how to determine the best way to orient beams in a construction process. Both of these processes enhanced the student s grasp of geometric concepts. Quantitatively, the scores from pre- and post- class assessment tests were analyzed. Not surprisingly, the students showed major gains in the engineering related subjects. But of even more importance, the scores in math topics also went up significantly, as shown in Table 2. Table 2 Comparison of Pre- and Post- Class Assessment Test Results for the Summer Program Assessment Test Score Averages Subject Area Pre-Class Post-Class Mechanical Advantage 9% 88% Friction 35% 78% Structural Mechanics 7% 24% Algebra 61% 80% Ratios 83% 92% Geometry 49% 85% The quantitative results however, did not mean as much to the instructor as the qualitative change seen in the young ladies, several of whom entered the class with a real self confidence problem with regards to math and science concepts. Studies have repeatedly shown that the failure of women to enter technology fields is not due to inability, but rather to low self esteem and a difficulty in adapting to subjects that they believe are male subjects. 4 As New Jersey Institute of Technology researchers have stated, Research has shown that young women still avoid advanced mathematics and science related courses and careers because they underestimate their capabilities and not because they lack competence or skill. 5 During the assessment test on the first day, one young lady, named Louise complained to Professor Hylton that she could not possibly do any of the mechanical advantage problems. That s Physics, I can t do Physics, was her comment. Four weeks later, after being exposed to simple mechanical concepts and the associated math necessary to analyze them, in addition to participating in numerous inquiry based experiments, the story was different. On the last day of class, Louise was discussing her plans for classes at school that fall, and her hopes to go to college in a science or engineering program. Her instructor, commented, But Louise, remember, you can t do Physics. The smile on her face was all that any teacher would need to know that his efforts had been a success.

5 Conclusion An increase in scores on a simple assessment test given to only one summer class is not statistically significant enough to prove long term success. And the increased ISTEP scores across just two years of a new program are not proof positive either. However, these results do point toward potential benefits from using real world concepts and inquiry based thought processes to improve math skills. Additionally, some of the perceptions that stop minorities and females from pursuing Engineering and Technology careers may be overcome. When taken together, these potential benefits are too great to be overlooked. References 1. Goodman, I. F.; et. al. Final Report of Women s Experiences in College Engineering (WECE) Project, Goodman Research Group, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 2. American Association of Engineering Societies, Engineering Societies Diversity Summit Report, American Society of Engineering Educators, Prism, Bachelor s Breakdown, September 2004, page Bogue, Barbara and Mary Ellen Litzinger. Wellness Strategies for Women Engineers: An Interdisciplinary Course Designed to Help Women Engineering Studnets Succeed, ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings, Salt Lake City, June Kimmel, Howard; et al. Evaluation of Summer Enrichment Programs for Women Students, ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings, Salt Lake City, June Indiana Department of Education. PETE HYTON Mr. Hylton currently serves as an Assistant Professor of mechanical engineering technology for the Purdue School of engineering and Technology at Indiana university / Purdue University at Indianapolis. He has 25 years of experience in the aerospace industry in the areas of system dynamics and project design leadership. WENDY OTOUPAL Ms. Otoupal is currently involved in teaching Middle School Mathematics at the Key Learning Community, a magnet school in the Indianapolis Public Schools system. She also has a 28 year background in the aerospace industry in manufacturing and quality and is a graduate student in Mathematics Education at Indiana University / Purdue University at Indianapolis