Nature and Extent of Science and Engineering Practices Coverage in K-12 Engineering Curriculum Materials

作者：Chabalengula Vivien M^*; Bendjemil Sonia A; Mumba Frackson; Chiu Jennifer

来源：International Journal of Engineering Education, 2017, 33(1): 308-320.

• engineering practices
• science practices
• K-12 engineering education
• K-12 science curriculum

The integration of science and engineering practices in K-12 science education is currently an area of growing national interest in the United States, as evidenced in the recently published document titled A frame work for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. However, to date, little is known about the extent to which these practices are covered in the widely used K-12 engineering programs. As a response to the dearth of research in this area, this study investigated the nature and extent to which science and engineering practices are covered in the widely used K-12 engineering programs in the United States. Nine programs that are widely used in the United States were analyzed via document content analysis method using the K-12 science education framework. The results revealed important findings showing the similarities and disparities in the coverage of science and engineering practices in the analyzed programs, grade levels, and in different science discipline units. This study is significant because an understanding of the current status of science and engineering practices coverage would be helpful to educators and curriculum designers as they strive to further the development of integrated science and engineering curricula, as well as shaping the scope and sequence of engineering design thinking learning activities in the K-12 science curriculum.

• 出版日期2017