Through course design, it is important to have structure and set goals giving students guidance and setting boundaries (Thomas & Brown, 2011). Students need to know where they are going through learning goals, then access to activities and assessments to align in achieving these goals. Over the past year, goals have been created, along with objectives, and an innovation plan developed to transition all classes into a blended learning environment. The blended learning environment combines traditional teaching methods with online resources (Horn & Staker, 2015). There have been many obstacles, technology issues, and this arduous task has been time-consuming. However, blended learning has allowed for students to work at their own pace, has provided opportunities for small group instruction, and specific individualization of content with a diverse population of students. The school year of 2017-2018, both the courses taught BIM and STEM have blended learning components, but the STEM course is lacking online content and cohesion of incorporating blended learning throughout all Units. Some STEM Units have strong resources providing an ideal blended learning environment, while other Units have little or no effective online resources. The STEM course is broken up into several types of engineering and the Civil Engineering Unit is needing the most support. To strengthen this STEM course, emphasis will be placed on providing pertinent resources for the Civil Engineering Unit to provide foundational support for the STEM course through a LMS (Learning Management System).
To accomplish this Unit design, an overall goal was developed focusing on the Civil Engineering Unit of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) course to create a clear path and vision for the end results. Setting this goal provided overall direction for this Unit. Then using Fink’s Learning Outcomes 3-Column table and Understanding by Design (UbD) template developed by Wiggins and McTighe’s, more specific goals were created, starting with the end in mind. These goals focus beyond content, and emphasize relational components making the educational experience whole. These goals were aligned with equivalent level of activities and assessments for Civil Engineering. These foundational components will provide the necessary vision when building the course through the LMS.
Goals:
Overall Goal: For learners to analyze and identify the career path of Civil Engineering through research, design, create, develop, and collaborate with peers to solve problems.
Learning Goals:
Foundational Learners will identify and describe Civil engineering careers.· Students will identify and describe math and physics concepts to apply to a Civil Engineering project. Learners will identify and use Google Sketchup or other software.
Application Learners will analyze and evaluate the relationship between physics concepts and building structures. Learners will evaluate how the structures can withstand given obstacles.
Integration Learners will collaborate with peers using feedback to reflect and develop strategies to make any design changes for the structure. Students will analyze success and failures of other structures. Human Dimension & Caring Learners will analyze and provide feedback to other groups in regards to build structures. Learners will evaluate the importance of working with groups and what they have learned through peers. Learning-How-to-Learn Learners will reflect on what they have learned and provide feedback to class and future students
Desired Results:
The final outcome is for students to have an understanding of Civil Engineering through research, design, creation, analyzation, and evaluation. First students need to learn what is expected in a career of Civil Engineering. The education required, possible salaries, future outlook, and projects in this career. Then students will build on their knowledge of math and science, to research and design a bridge. Students will successfully work together to problem solve and create a bridge that can withstand a set weight. Finally students will provide feedback, and reflect on their success and failure through a presentation.
Audience:
This course is a self-select elective with open enrollment for students at a North Texas Middle School in an affluent area. The school itself is diverse, with many at-risk youth, special education, 504, and students with low-socioeconomic status. The students are 7th & 8th grade middle school students ranging in age from twelve to fifteen and either choose to take this course or forced into this course because there are no other alternatives. Students taking this course have a basic understanding of physics and math concepts, and have the expectation that this is a fun project-based course.
Outline & Materials:
Unit: Civil Engineering Section 1: Introduction to Civil Engineering
Discussion Post
Video on Civil Engineering
Directions on how to use a presentation Software of their choice to create a presentation
Section 2: Foundational Math & Physics
Discussion Post
Video &/or website about Forces
Worksheet comparing forces
Quiz on Forces
Section 3: Design/Build/Create Marble Mineshaft
Discussion Post
Access to videos & website of Marble Mineshaft examples
Directions for Google Sketchup Design (tutorials are in a previous Unit)
Rubric & Directions for Marble Mineshaft
Directions to create a presentation using the Engineering Design (document the problem, design, solution, problems, reflection etc.)
Section 4: Bridges
Discussion Post
Access to videos & website of types of Bridges examples
Worksheet to analyze bridge structures and materials
Videos & Discussion about Bridge Failures
Quiz on Bridges
Section 5: Design/Build/Create Bridge
Discussion Post
Directions for Google Sketchup Design (tutorials are in a previous Unit)
Rubric & Directions for Bridge Build
Directions for Engineering Design example for students to create presentation to document the problem, design, solution, problems, reflection etc.
Section 6: Conclusion
Discussion Post
Reflection Questions on Civil Engineering
References:
Fink, L.D. (2003) A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Horn, M., B., & Staker, H. (2015). Blended. San Francisco: Josey-Bass. Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning; Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: Author. Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for supervision and curriculum development.