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Teaching STEAM Concepts to Middle and High School Students using

Engineering Design to create STEAM Machines™

Dr. Shawn Jordan and Dr. Odesma Dalrymple, Arizona State University

Dr. Nielsen Pereira, Western Kentucky University

Partners

!   Arizona State University

!   Bishop Anstey High School East & Trinity College East

(Trinidad & Tobago)

!   Department of Indian Education (Diné) Navajo Nation

!   Loyola Marymount University

!   Morgan State University

!   Purdue University

!   Western Kentucky University

Workshop Objectives

!   Understand the underlying constructs (Content,

Pedagogy, and Assessment) that make up the STEAM

Machines™ program

!   Be familiar with different STEAM Machines™ program

implementation models and the value of virtual teaming for

pre-college students

!   Know how to follow an engineering design process to

design and build a STEAM Machine™

!   Identify and reflect on the strengths and limitations of this

program when implemented in various learning settings

and with different populations

What is the STEAM Machines™ program? – in Skylar’s words

STEAM  Labs  @  ASU|  2011  

[steem].[muh-sheen] noun

1. A chain reaction machine that runs

on Science Technology, Engineering,

Arts, and Math concepts

What is a STEAM Machine™? – by example

STEAM  Labs  @  ASU|  STEAM  Labs  @  Purdue  |  STEAM  Labs  @  Trinidad  &  Tobago  |  2011  

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What did you

observe?

STEAM Content Integration and Learning Objectives

STEAM  Labs™  

SCIENCE  

Simple  machines  

Energy  concepts  

TECHNOLOGY  

Programming  

Microcontrollers  

Electronics  

ENGINEERING  

Engineering  design  process  

Real-­‐world  professional  skills  

ARTS  

Storytelling  

MATH  

Reliability  and  probability  

!   SCIENCE: Simple machines and energy concepts !   TECHNOLOGY: Programming, microcontrollers, electronics

SERVO MOTOR

SONAR SENSOR

TOUCH SENSOR

COLOR SENSOR

GRAPHICAL PROGRAMMING

!   ENGINEERING: Engineering design process, professional skills

Adapted  from  Engineering  is  Elementary,  Boston  Museum  of  Science  

!   Arts: Storytelling

Steps   Storyboard  

1.  Turn  on  fan    

2.  Car  rolls  down  track    

3.  Car  hits  switch  connecFng  to  a  solenoid  

4.  Solenoid  pushes  metal  ball  causing  it  to  fall  into  container  which  hits  a  switch  to  turn  off  solenoid  

5.  Added  weight  in  container  pulls  up  plaKorm  

6.  Track  Fps  plaKorm  releasing  a  ball  on  track  

7.  Ball  rolls  down  track    

8.  Ball  goes  onto  another  track  

1.  A  tornado  storm  destroying  everything  in  sight  

2.  Strong  wind  causes  Tom’s  car  to  get  out  of  control  

3.  Car  crashes  into  a  nuclear  power  plant    

4.  Which  sets  off  a  bomb        

5.  The  bomb  causes  a  huge  container  containing  waste  products  to  hit  the  bridge  

6.  This  causes  the  bridge  to  turn  over  where  a  huge  wrecking  ball  is  currently  staFoned  

7.  The  wrecking  ball  is  then  thrown  off  the  bridge  

8.  Displaced  onto  another  street  

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STEAM Labs™ Pedagogy

STEAM  Labs™  Pedagogy  

COOPERATIVE  LEARNING  

MulF-­‐team  /  transnaFonal  collaboraFon  

Cross-­‐cultural  exposure  

Systems  Thinking  

STEAM  integraFon  

Discovery-­‐based  

Hands-­‐on  

Project-­‐based  Learning  

DifferenTated  

Opportunities for Assessment

!   Knowledge !   Simple machines

!   Energy

!   Reliability and

probability

!   Engineering design process

!   Technical

communication

!   Culture and cultural

norms

!   Skills

!   Professional skills

and attitudes

!   Technical

communication

!   Design

documentation

!   Design reviews

!   Attitudes

!   Self efficacy and

perceptions

!   STEM

!   Engineering

design process

!   Global perspective

!   Appreciation of

value of teams and

effectiveness

!   Reflective practice

Research: Design Swap

!   Q: How does prior knowledge of an imminent design

swap affect the quality of documentation prepared for

design reviews?

!   A: Prior knowledge that designs will be swapped can

improve the quality of design documentation

generated by students.

!   Jordan, S., Dalrymple, O., Pereira, N., Astatke, Y., & Fletcher, J. D.

(2012). Design swapping as a Method to Improve Design

Documentation. Paper to be presented at the American Society for

Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition,

San Antonio, TX.

Research: Innovation

!   Q: How does swapping designs of different

complexity affect student learning?

!   A: Learning gain can be achieved either through

design iteration or design innovation

!   Lower complexity à greater opportunity for design

innovation

!   Higher complexity à greater opportunity for design iteration

!   Dalrymple, O., Fernandez, J., Diaz, M., & Jordan, S. (2012). Student

Perceptions of Innovative Technology in a Team-Based Design Environment.

Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education Pacific

Southwest (ASEE PSW), San Luis Obispo, CA.

DR1 sketch from team at site A DR2 sketch from team at site B

Qualitative sketch analysis

DR1 sketch from team at site B DR2 sketch from team at site B

Second perspective on analysis

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!   Teams at site A

conceptualized

significantly more

complex modules (i.e.,

modules with more

steps) compared to

teams at the site B

!   p = 0.01

Site   Team   DR1  #  Steps  

A   1   12  

A    2   9  

A   3   11  

A   4     8

A   5   5

B   1     3

B   2   3  

B   3   6  

B   4   6  

B   5   3  

Change in Complexity Conceptualization - Implementation

Innovation Addition of New steps

Benefits for both teams

Site   Change  in    #  of  Steps  A  1   0  A  2   3  A  3   -­‐3  A  4   0  A  5   -­‐4  B  1   5  B  2   3  B  3   -­‐1  B  4   3  B  5   1  

Site   %  of  New  Steps  in  DR2  A  1   67%  

A  2   73%  

A  3   63%  

A  4   0%  

A  5   63%  

B  1   25%  

B  2   0%  

B  3   0%  

B  4   50%  

B  5   29%  

Site  B  teams  implemented  more  complex  modules  than  they  

conceptualized  

Site  A  teams  did  more  innovaFon  by  adding  new  steps  to  the  modules  they  received  

STEAM Labs™ Camp Implementations

!   Current Implementations

!   1, 2 or 3 weeks

!   Independent STEAM Labs™

!   Local STEAM Labs™

!   Global STEAM Labs™

!   Future Implementations

!   Semester long after-school program

STEAM Labs™ Camps Modular Curriculum

 

Design a

STEAM Machine™ THE GOAL:

To  pop  a  balloon  in  a  complex  way  

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!   Review: Engineering Design Process

Adapted  from  Engineering  is  Elementary,  Boston  Museum  of  Science  

Engineering Design Process

For the whole STEAM Machine™

!   THE GOAL

!   What is the overall task that the machine will complete?

!  To pop a balloon in a complex way

!   What are the overall requirements for the machine?

!  Minimum 3 steps

!  Minimum 3 seconds before popping the balloon (1:1)

!  Minimal activation energy

Engineering Design Process

For each STEAM Machine™ module

!   ASK

!   What is the challenge/task that your module will complete?

!   IMAGINE

!   What are some potential steps? Brainstorm!

!   Clothes pin releases a pin

!   Pin travels in a tube

!   Movement of a Pendulum (push pin)

!   Golf ball rolls down a pipe

!   Ball hits dominoes

!   Two pulleys (with baskets attached)

!   Throw weighted balloon

!   What steps did you chose for the module design?

Engineering Design Process

For each STEAM Machine™ module

!   PLAN

!   Create storyboard

!   Breaking the piñata

!   Create detailed sketch of machine / module design

!   Complete PLAN Step List

!   Complete PLAN Materials List

!   (optional) Stop-motion animation of step or full module

design

STEAM Machine™ Step List

# Step Description/Steps Storyboard

A

Name: Ball in basket

Input: golf ball

Output: golf ball?

Throw  a  golf  ball  into  a  hole  

Blind  folded  mariachi  player  throws  a  basketball  that  hits  a  Chihuahua  

B

Name

Input: golf ball

Output: remove the

brace

The  weight  of  the  ball  releases  the  brace  that  holds  the  pendulum  in  place  

The  barking  Chihuahua  alerts  the  kid  to  hit  piñata  before  the  mariachi  player  

C

Name

Input: pendulum

Output: End – Popped

balloon

pendulum  with  a  pin  swings  and  connect  with  balloon  and  pops  it  

Kid  swings  a  sFck  and  breaks  the  piñata    

Engineering Design Process

For each STEAM Machine™ module

!   CREATE

!   Follow your plan and create it

!   Test it out!

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Engineering Design Process

For each STEAM Machine™ module

!   IMPROVE

!   What works in your module?

!   What doesn’t work in your module?

!   How could your module be improved?

!   Modify your design to make it better

!   Test it out!

Ref lection: Think-Group-Share

!   What works well?

!   What doesn’t work well?

!   What challenges do you foresee with

implementing this program in your

environment?

Preparing Students for the Future

!   Rube Goldberg Machine Contest –

http://www.rubegoldberg.com

!   FIRST Robotics – http://www.usfirst.org

!   FIRST Lego League – http://www.firstlegoleague.org

! RoboRAVE – http://www.roborave.org

!   Careers in science, technology, engineering, and math

– http://technology.asu.edu

Questions?

April 14, 2006

Hollywood, California

Appearance on

Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! on ABC

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Human

STEAM Machine™

!   TECHNOLOGY: Programming, microcontrollers, electronics

!   Math: Reliability and Probability

Rube Goldberg Machine Contest™

!   International Online Rube

Goldberg Machine Contest for

Ages 11 – 14™

!   High School Rube Goldberg

Machine Contest™

!   Collegiate Rube Goldberg

Machine Contest™

!   http://www.rubegoldberg.com