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Studying interest generated by engineering design activities

January 1, 2014 | Public Programs, Informal/Formal Connections
Research has intimated that engineering design activities can enhance students’ understanding of engineering and technology and can increase their interest in science. Few studies, however, have defined or measured this interest empirically. Dohn examined the effect of an eight-week engineering design competition on 46 sixth-grade students. His findings suggest that design tasks can indeed stimulate interest. He found four main sources of interest: designing inventions, trial-and-error experimentation, making the inventions work, and collaboration.

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  • 2014 10 22 Heather KING
    Author
    King's College London
  • Citation

    Resource Type: Research Brief
    Discipline: Education and learning science | Engineering
    Audience: Middle School Children (11-13) | Educators/Teachers | Museum/ISE Professionals
    Environment Type: Public Programs | Museum and Science Center Programs | Informal/Formal Connections | K-12 Programs

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