This article describes a reverse-engineering project where female students take a part a hair dryer--giving them an opportunity to see the many different kinds of engineering disciplines involved in making a hairdryer and that they work together. Mechanical Engineer, Lyn Gome, describes her experience leading a group of middle school girls through…

When the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") document, (NRC, 2013) was released in April 2013, teachers in the profession had mixed emotions. Many viewed the standards as invasive to their classrooms, while others found them a refreshing take on what technology and engineering educators have been doing for years.…

Microcontrollers are used extensively in transportation and communications technologies, in automobiles to monitor and control engine speed and performance so as to maximize fuel economy and efficiency, and by manufacturing industries to produce "smart" technology. The flexibility, imagination, and spirit that make these tiny devices so…

In April of 2010, the author was approached to write a proposal that would provide grant money for a summer program to take place at the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University's Developmental Research School (FAMU DRS). The FAMU DRS functions as a normal K-12 school; however, it is administered by the Florida A&M University College of…

In order for technology and engineering education (T&EE) students to meet the design challenges of this century, T&EE teachers will need to deepen their content pedagogy in the areas of science and math. This raises the question: Will the need to deepen content pedagogy initiate a process of change that transforms technology and engineering…

The interdisciplinary approach that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects inspire in both teachers and students "brings to light a larger picture that promotes real-world scientific applications, which has in turn been shown to increase undergraduate persistence in STEM." The high school students have been warned…

As science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education demands greater integration across all subject areas, technology teachers can showcase many of the cross-curricular projects already occurring inside their classrooms that intrigue students and build their STEM skills. Robotics, just one of those projects, has become an excellent…

This article presents a summary of the keynote speech presented at the ITEEA Conference in Columbus, OH, March 4, 2013, by Steven Hicks. Hicks is former Director, Research & Development, Flavor & Fragrance Development Global Capability, for the Procter & Gamble Company. Educated as a chemical engineer, his outside interests include…

In modern CAD and CAM manufacturing companies, engineers design parts for machines and consumable goods. Many of these parts are cut on CNC machines. Whether using a CNC lathe, milling machine, or router, the ideas and designs of engineers must be translated into a machine-readable form called G & M Code that can be used to cut parts to precise…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers teach multiple concepts that lend themselves to possible collaboration on a daily basis. Much like Metz's (2009) insightful discussion about the importance of science educators creating partnerships in the community "outside the school walls," integrative STEM teaching also requires…

It is obvious that engineering played a significant role in the development of the world. Many contributions engineers have given are visible in the world and in people's daily lives. Unfortunately, humans often learn through trial and error, and much of the world has been developed in ways that did not contribute to the well-being of the planet…

The nearly unanimous state acceptance of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) jolted many teachers out of their complacency. How was this major change going to impact their teaching and their curriculum? What changes would be made in student assessments and teacher accountability? The good news is…

Natural catastrophes and engineering failures provide timely, motivating, and conceptually rich backdrops for learning. Engineering educators have long embraced case studies of engineering failures as a sound pedagogical strategy for meeting several learning standards, such as "design within realistic constraints", and teaching failure analysis.…

As science, technology education, and engineering programs suffer budget cuts, educators continue to seek cost-effective activities that engage students and reinforce standards. The featherweight challenge is a hands-on activity that challenges students to continually refine their design while not breaking the budget. This activity uses one of the…

A simple machine does one of two things: create a mechanical advantage (lever) or change the direction of an applied force (pulley). Fluid foils are unique among simple machines because they not only change the direction of an applied force (wheel and axle); they convert fluid energy into mechanical energy (wind and Kaplan turbines) or vice versa,…