Children are natural problem solvers who like to design and shape the world they live in—they build forts or systems to divert flowing water. To create a generation of innovative problem solvers, we need to capitalize on these inclinations and encourage youth to develop an engineering mindset—the values, attitudes, and thinking skills associated with engineering. This interactive session focuses on ten engineering practices that help youth develop and strengthen an engineering mindset. Short video clips illustrate what the practices look like when youth engineer. Participants will leave with an understanding of how they might nurture an engineering mindset.
About Speaker
Dr. Christine Cunningham is a Professor of Practice of Education and Engineering at Penn State University. Her work focuses on making engineering more relevant, accessible, and inclusive, especially for underserved and underrepresented populations. She does this by creating researched-based engineering curricula for PreK-8 children and their educators. Her book, Engineering in Elementary STEM Education, describes her groundbreaking work. Previously, Cunningham was the Founding Director of Engineering is Elementary. Cunningham has received a number of awards; in 2017 her work was recognized with the prestigious Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education.