The K12 Engineering Education Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Inside a Startup After-School STEAM Program Jul 03, 2017

Show notes

Founding an education business comes with challenges and rewards, far beyond the financials. Guest EJ Zain talks about this first-hand. EJ founded the startup Maker Kids Lab, LLC, in Austin, Texas. Her very new startup runs after-school programs for middle schoolers in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). In her lessons, Zain and her team of helper-teachers guide students of different ages to work together on hands-on, creative projects. She discusses her motivations for starting Maker Kids Lab as a parent, her strategies for engaging kids, and her hopes for creating a business with a social impact. Mentioned in this episode: • Maker Kids Lab on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Makerkidslab/ • Maker Kids Lab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makerkidslab/ • The 4 C’s of Problem-Based Learning (PBL): https://www.bie.org/blog/the_power_of_the_4cs_the_foundation_for_creating_a_gold_standard_for_projec • TechShop: http://www.techshop.ws/ • Hexbugs: https://www.hexbug.com/ • Small Business Administration (SBA): https://www.sba.gov/ • InnovateHER, an SBA business competition: https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/wbo/resources/1465581 • Website of Maker Kids Lab, LLC: https://www.makerkidslab.com/ Mentioned in the post-show notes: • Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pioslabs • Panelpicker for South by Southwest (SXSW) 2018 (deadline July 21): http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Help Pios Labs continue! You can donate at: https://www.patreon.com/pioslabs Also check out these projects from Pios Labs: • Engineering Word Of The Day (EWOTD) podcast: http://engineeringwordoftheday.com • Guidebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html

Overcoming Struggles Jun 20, 2017

Show notes

Some students struggle with trauma, mental health, mental disabilities, and negative peers and adults; and yet, with the right decisions and the right help, they still will become successful engineers. Hector is a computer engineer who has such a story. Although engineering and computers interested him early on, he faced several major obstacles on his path to getting an engineering degree. Hector talks about self-reflection, accommodations, and other supports that helped him overcome these obstacles. Mentioned in this episode: • Wolfenstein video game series, starting in 1981 to today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfenstein_(series) • Info on accommodations for college students with disabilities, from the American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/pi/disability/dart/toolkit-three.aspx • “Working Together: K12 Teachers and Students with Disabilities,” article from the University of Washington: http://www.washington.edu/doit/working-together-k12-teachers-and-students-disabilities • Online discussion on Reddit in 2016 about engineers with ADHD: https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/comments/4d9293/engineers_with_adhd_how_does_it_affect_you/ Mentioned in the post-show notes: • Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pioslabs • Join a workshop with me at CAST in Houston 2017? Info at: http://www.statweb.org/ Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Help Pios Labs continue! You can donate at: https://www.patreon.com/pioslabs Also check out these projects from Pios Labs: • Engineering Word Of The Day (EWOTD) podcast: http://engineeringwordoftheday.com • Guidebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html • Improv Professional Development (ImprovPD) project: http://www.improvpd.com/

Organizations to Build an Engineering Identity Jun 12, 2017

Show notes

Dr. Renata Revelo talks about the importance of identity when educating and retaining engineers. Dr. Revelo is an electrical engineer, a professor, and a researcher in engineering education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She’s studied Latina/Latino students who participated in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) during their education, and she found that the organization helped them better see themselves as engineers, without separating themselves from their own communities. As a follow-up to the previous episode of the podcast, this episode explores Dr. Revelo’s work with Hispanic students at the college level, while applying the ideas to all students. Mentioned in this episode: • Dr. Renata Revelo at the University of Illinois at Chicago: https://www.ece.uic.edu/k-teacher/renata-revelo-phd/ • SHPE: http://www.shpe.org/ • SHPE Conference with Precollege Symposium: https://shpeconference.shpe.org/ • Dr. Revelo’s research on professional organizations and identity development: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/78420 • Purdue University EPICS program for service-learning in design: https://engineering.purdue.edu/EPICS Mentioned in the post-show notes: • Engineering Word Of The Day (EWOTD) podcast: http://engineeringwordoftheday.com • Guidebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html • Preview of “Improv Professional Development” (ImprovPD) project: http://www.improvpd.com/ Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Help Pios Labs continue! You can donate at: https://www.patreon.com/pioslabs

Engaging Hispanic Students in Engineering Jun 05, 2017

Show notes

Start with what kids already know, when teaching them engineering. Have them work in their community. Guest Dr. Alex Mejia says you should tap into students’ existing “funds of knowledge” to raise engineering students’ achievement. He’s done research on this pedagogical style with Latino and Latina students, as a professor of engineering in San Angelo State University and soon-to-be professor at the University of San Diego (starting in August 2017). We talk about his research, his background and motivation for doing this work, culturally responsive education, and practical strategies to teach all students. Mentioned in this episode: • Dr. Joel Alex Mejia at the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering at the University of San Diego: jmejia@sandiego.edu • Dr. Joel Alex Mejia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mejiaalex • Dr. Joel Alex Mejia at Angelo State University: http://www.angelo.edu/content/profiles/4169-alex-mejia • Research article on Dr. Mejia’s work on funds of knowledge: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jee.20117/abstract • Engineering is Elementary: http://www.eie.org/ • TeachEngineering: http://teachengineering.org/ • Qualitative Research in STEM, book with chapter by Dr. Alex Mejia, edited by Sherry Marx: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/11762471 Mentioned in the post-show notes: • Engineering Word Of The Day (EWOTD) podcast: http://engineeringwordoftheday.com • Guidebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html • Preview of “Improv Professional Development” (ImprovPD) project: http://www.improvpd.com/ Check back for a transcript of this episode at: http://www.k12engineering.net/transcripts/ep36.html Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Help Pios Labs continue! You can donate at: https://www.patreon.com/pioslabs

Best Movies for Engineering May 23, 2017

Show notes

What are the best movies and TV shows in entertainment for inspiring your thinking in engineering? Rachel, Sadhan, and Pius talk about their top suggestions, and they discuss how they affect perceptions of engineering. Mentioned in this episode: • Star Trek Voyager (TV show): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112178/ • The Matrix (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/ • Hidden Figures (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/ • The Imitation Game (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084970/ • Ex Machina (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/ • Five Nights at Freddy’s (video game): http://fivescarynights.com/five-nights-at-freddys • The Terminator (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088247/ • Terminator 2: Judgment Day (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103064/ • Big Hero Six (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245084/ • The Lego Movie (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1490017/ • Interstellar (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816692/ • Contact (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118884/ • 2001: A Space Odyssey (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/ • How a differential gear works video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4JhruinbWc • Star Trek TNG (TV show): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092455/ • Minority Report (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181689/ • The Martian (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/ • MacGyver (TV show): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088559/ • MythBusters (TV show): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383126/ • Spider-Man (Movie): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145487/ • Bill Nye the Science Guy (TV show): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173528/ • Beauty and the Beast (film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2771200/ The “Engineering Word Of The Day Podcast” mentioned in the post-show notes is linked here: • Engineering Word Of The Day (podcast site): http://engineeringwordoftheday.com • Engineering Word Of The Day (podcast on iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/engineering-word-of-the-day/id1237773605 • Engineering Word Of The Day (podcast on Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/EngineeringWordOfTheDay/ Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Check out the book and ebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html

An English Teacher's Advice on STEM May 16, 2017

Show notes

English teacher and author Roxanna Elden talks about her tips for new teachers, how to form your personal Board of Advisors as a teacher, how to teach writing in any classroom, and more, in this discussion. She draws on her research talking to many other new teachers, as well as her own experience, to share advice. Mentioned in this episode: • Roxanna Elden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoxannaElden • "See Me After Class" - book by Roxanna Elden: http://roxannaelden.com/sample-page-three/ • “Ten Writing Skills that All Teachers Can Reinforce,” article by Roxanna Elden: http://roxannaelden.com/2009/10/ten-resources-all-teachers-can-reinforce/ • “Teacher Dreams and Nightmares”: http://www.k12engineering.net/transcripts/ep16.html • Roxanna Elden’s article on edtech: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2011/11/the_relationship_status_of_teachers_and_educational_technology_its_complicated.html Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Check out the book and ebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html

Engineers' Favorite Teachers May 09, 2017

Show notes

What makes a good teacher for future engineers? In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, we ask five practicing engineers about their favorite teachers growing up. The engineers come from different disciplines, and they all share the best qualities of the teachers who made an impact on them. Mentioned in this episode: • National Teacher Appreciation Week at the National PTA: http://www.pta.org/ThankATeacher • University Interscholastic League (UIL) of Texas: http://www.uiltexas.org/ • Discover Magazine: http://discovermagazine.com/ Our closing music is from "When You Go" by Steve Combs, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Check out the book and ebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html

Active Learning in Computer Science May 02, 2017

Show notes

We talk strategies for teaching computer science (CS), with Dr. Cynthia Taylor, a computer science professor at The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Cynthia does research on effective CS education pedagogy, which includes active learning in the classroom. She talks about her research, how to handle not knowing all of CS when you’re teaching CS, the imbalance of experience in students’ experience with CS, and her own educational background. Mentioned in this episode: • Cynthia Taylor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC): https://www.cs.uic.edu/~cynthiat/ • Paper on peer instruction for CS: https://www.cs.uic.edu/~cynthiat/pubs/cbtaylor_iticse13.pdf • Flipped classroom resources: https://www.edutopia.org/blogs/tag/flipped-classroom • Force Concept Inventory: https://www.physport.org/assessments/assessment.cfm?A=FCI • AP Computer Science test: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-computer-science-a • "Stuck in the Shallow End" - book by Jane Margolis: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3082774-stuck-in-the-shallow-end • Peer Instruction for CS resource website: http://peerinstruction4cs.com/ • Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education: http://sigcse.org/sigcse/ • Association for Computer Machinery Digital Library: http://dl.acm.org/ Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Check out the book and ebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html

Teaching Ethics Apr 25, 2017

Show notes

How do you teach ethics to engineering students? Guests Dr. Beccy Hambright and Richard Burgess talk about their experience tackling that question, particularly when it comes to students in K-12. They share their history at the Texas Tech University College of Engineering, where they supported students and teachers in engineering and engineering ethics. Hambright ran the Texas STEM Center until 2012, and Burgess teaches engineering ethics classes to students. Hambright and Burgess then discuss the importance of ethics in the field, pedagogical techniques for K-12, the importance of diversity, and project-based learning in class. Mentioned in this episode: • Murdough Center for Engineering Professionalism at Texas Tech University: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/murdoughcenter/index.php • National Institute for Engineering Ethics: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/murdoughcenter/center/niee/ • Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System: http://tinyurl.com/o82q6ah • Texas STEM Center Coalition: http://www.txstem.org/ • Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering: http://www.tame.org/ • Contact info for Richard Burgess: richard.burgess@ttu.edu • Contact info for Dr. Beccy Hambright: beccy.hambright@ttu.edu • The Buck Institute: https://www.bie.org/ • National Academy of Engineering Center for Engineering Ethics and Society: https://www.nae.edu/26187.aspx Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Check out the book and ebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html

Aerospace Engineering for Future Pilots Apr 18, 2017

Show notes

Studying engineering might help you in your future career, especially if that future is in the Air Force. Today’s guest is a pilot who studied aerospace engineering for an undergraduate degree, and he explains how that education is still helping him now even as he learns to fly jets. He also gives ideas for what motivates students to learn about aerospace engineering, even if the content can sometimes be difficult. Mentioned in this episode: • Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois: http://aerospace.illinois.edu/ Our closing music is from "Late for School" by Bleeptor, used under a Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Subscribe and find more podcast information at: http://www.k12engineering.net. The K12 Engineering Education Podcast is a production of Pios Labs: http://www.pioslabs.com. Check out the book and ebook “Engineer’s Guide to Improv and Art Games” by Pius Wong, on Amazon, Kindle, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble Nook, and other retailers: http://www.pioslabs.com/improv4design.html

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