Thoughts from the Chair
Take a break, read the newsletter. And please follow the division, @PCEE_Div
Bradley Bowen, PCEE Division Chair (bowenb@vt.edu)
PCEE Executive Committee Election Results
Thank you to all the candidates and those who voted. Here are the results of the election.
2021 PCEE Virtual Conference
The 2021 PCEE Conference will be virtual on two half-days, June 23 and 24, 2021. Stay tuned for registration information. As more information is posted, it can be found at http://precollege.asee.org/pcee_conference/. If you are willing to be a virtual host or being part of the planning committee, please contact Andrea Burrows at andrea.c.burrows@gmail.com.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Family Social Media Challenge
Title: Everyday Engineering Social Media Conversations
Kids are naturally curious about their world, just like engineers and innovators are interested in their jobs. Youth ask questions many adults don’t consider. In this challenge, we want families to engage in conversations through the lens of a sharp mind as students explore the mechanisms of everyday items in their community. How does the design work, why does it operate better than other devices, how will the device look like in 10 years?
Objective: Share with the world how engineering impacts your family and community
Launch: Engineering Week – February 21-27, 2021
Format: 1-2 minute video
Prize: Free Family Engineering Kits
Eligibility: The challenge is open to all families, students grades P – 6th
Submission Deadline: Friday, April 30th, 2021, at 11:59 pm.
Creating a video:
- Pose a question to a family member about the innovation of an everyday item that many people may take for granted, but individuals in your home or community utilize it often.
- Create a video of you asking a family member the question or engaging with your family in some fashion (see example below).
- A statement needs to be shared about the future of engineering based on the student’s perception of the world and the item of question.
- Post video on the family’s social media platform of choice (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, or Youtube) using #PCEEChallenge @PCEE_Div
Example questions:
- Why were brooms developed in that way?
- How does the mechanism work? And what problem does it solve?
- What do people still use brooms instead of vacuums?
- Do you think the broom will still be around in 10 years? If not, will the vacuum cleaner always be here, or will it too be replaced?
ASEE P-12 Educator Series – Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 6:30 pm EDT
Topic: Engineering Teacher Professional Development – Standards and ASEE Program Endorsement
Registration is free but required: https://bit.ly/3utto4l
This webinar will provide an overview of the Engineering Teacher Professional Development standards and the related newly launched Endorsement program as well as a walkthrough of relevant programs. The standards were created to ensure teachers develop engineering literacy sufficient to teach engineering to students at the appropriate level through professional development programs.
Participants will take away from the webinar:
- An understanding of the professional preparation and development required to fully prepare teachers of engineering.
- An understanding of what providers of PD can do to ensure that their program is properly designed to emphasize the aspects of engineering content, pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment.
- An overview of the Engineering Teacher Professional Development Endorsement program and the steps to obtain the endorsement.
Supporting material to prepare for the webinar
Engineering Teacher Professional Development Standards: https://bit.ly/
Engineering Teacher Professional Development Endorsement: https://etpde.
Presenters:
Malinda Zarske, The University of Colorado, Boulder
Stacy Klein-Gardner, Vanderbilt University
Cheryl Farmer, The University of Texas at Austin
Hosted by: Geraldine Gooding, Manager, PreK-12 Activities and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives
Register here: https://bit.ly/3utto4l
TeachEngineering Summer Professional Development
Help spread the word! Are you or anyone you know looking for some *summer for-credit professional development on P-12 Engineering!* Come join TeachEngineering for our ASEE Engineering Teacher Professional Development Endorsed virtual summer workshop series. Two-day workshops will dive into hands-on engineering design challenges for P-12 students and also build skills in teaching with online design tools (such as OnShape and TinkerCAD). View flyers (here) for more details. Register at: https://www.teachengineering.
Share your P12 programs!
The ASEE Commission on P12 Engineering Education is collecting information about activities and programs that support engineering education in the pre-college space. These could be activities taking place with students or with teachers, held in-school, extracurricular, or in informal environments, working with just a few individuals, or reaching large groups. The goal is to create a central resource so that all working in the P12 space can share with and learn from each other. Below is a link to a short survey. The information collected from the survey will be shared through a map and hub on the Commission’s website and to select programs to be highlighted in a “spotlight” section periodically. No information will be shared by the Commission without first securing the approval of those who filled out the survey. Everyone is asked to share this survey link with others they know who are involved in the P12 engineering space, whether they are members of ASEE or not.
Survey link: https://forms.gle/b6GreyywCLJBfon37
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Kathy Harper – harper.217@osu.edu
Katey Shirey – katey@edukatey.com
How can ASEE better serve the P12 educator community?
ASEE Headquarters has created a P12 educator survey to gain some insight on how they can better serve the P12 educator community and what they can offer that would encourage membership in ASEE. The survey also asks for thoughts on the annual conference. If you could please complete the survey and share this link with any educators you know at any level (teacher, school administrator, district administrator, state, etc.), it would be much appreciated. https://forms.gle/42yhBCt7CzhpMUTh9
Teachers that complete the survey will be entered into a drawing for one of several free teacher memberships as well as a top prize of free registration to the annual conference in 2021. If a teacher who has already paid for membership this year wins, the free membership can be used for 2021-2022.
Engineering Challenges for P12 Instructors and Parents
ASEE has established a Facebook page to provide engineering challenges for P12 instructors and parents. Please go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/687366151802693/ to join and see all the awesome design challenges. If you have a challenge you would like to post on the page, please email Stacy Klein-Gardner at stacy.klein-gardner@vanderbilt.edu.