Integrating courses through design projects in a high school engineering summer program

Abstract

Introducing real-life engineering design projects and integrating five courses into the Engineering Summer Program (ESP) for high school students made a difference in student learning, according to data collected during the summer, 2005. While the program at University of Wisconsin - Madison has existed since 1977, 2005 was the first summer that integration through engineering design was a central theme. The goal was to encourage the eighteen students to better appreciate a) why their math, chemistry, physics, technical communication and introduction to engineering courses are important in engineering studies and b) how these courses work together to help students develop engineering skills. Assessment instruments included beginning, middle, and end-of-design experience questionnaires, videotapes of student presentations, and a reflective letter to their parents. Through the data collected, the paper answers the following questions: a) Are real-life student design projects an effective means of integrating different courses? b) Did the real-life student design projects provide better student understanding of engineering in general? c) Did the exercise of designing and presenting projects, stimulate student interest in science and engineering careers? This pilot assessment plan will be used to improve the program as well as to assess student learning even more effectively during 2006. The paper describes a brief background of ESP, each of the five courses, the design projects, the assessment instruments, the results and analysis, and recommendations for the 2006 Engineering Summer Program. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2006.