ENGINEERING

Engineering is an opportunity for children to create and establish systems and structures through their environments by design, creating, testing, and reworking. It allows children the opportunity to solve and think outside the box. For example, writing a blueprint for a bridge or building a castle and then using blocks to replicate the picture allows children to apply cause and effect, understand balance, visualize spatial relationships, and work in a team setting. By exposing children to engineering concepts, they build confidence, are more STEM literate, and developmentally everyone empowers themselves to feel like problem solvers (Howard & Mayesky, 2022). When teaching is encouraged, Engineering can provide opportunities for pretend play, determination, and understanding how to explore new ideas and directions from such a young age.

Theories and Perspectives

Piaget's Constructivist theory determines that children learn based on their interactions with the world around them, so as small detectives—and engineers—they learn through play with hands-on manipulation to determine a trial-and-error process actively. In addition, Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow suggests children will stay focused and engaged in the creative process when given the opportunity to explore a concept that is meaningful yet challenging to them. Thus, children are often provided with the opportunities to build, test, and revisit designs as part of their experimental outcomes in daily activities which engage them as much in cognition as in activity (Isbell & Yoshizawa, 2016). Therefore, they value the experience and engagement just as much as the product.

Resources and Technologies

Items such as recyclable materials (tubes, boxes, paper clips), blocks, LEGO, magnetic tiles, natural resources (sticks and stones) work best for Engineering Challenges. Ramps, pulleys, or feathered pieces allow more intricate building systems. Electronic apps through PBS Kids Design Squad or free drawing apps like Tinkercad help introduce young audiences to basic design and Engineering challenges. Articles related to the topic assess young learners in design thinking while journals help scaffold their ideas. Materials should be shareable so children can use each other's inspirations. Materials for all should be provided so all ages can engage in the creative processes with corrections/failures to see their projects come to life (Howard & Mayesky, 2022).

Learning Experiences

0–2 Years:

  • Stack and Build-Give babies soft stacks and blocks materials to stack and knock down to learn about gross motor development and cause and effect.
  • Ramp Play-Give cardboard ramps to roll balls down to teach them about slopes, speed, and gravity in a sensory experience.

    • 2-3 years:

  • Tower Building Challenge-Challenge children to see how high they can build with blocks or boxes and discuss how they would keep them up before they toppled over.
  • Bridges Over Water -Offer children planks and water tables to create bridges and challenge toys going over the water.

    • 3-5 years:

  • Create a Shelter - Provide sheets, pillows, furniture, towels, and clips for children to shelter their dolls and animals collaboratively.
  • Marble Run Design - Tape some tubes together for children to create marble paths as they learn about speed, incline, and turns.

    • 6-8 years:

  • Paper Airplane Engineering- Design your paper airplane. Determine distance gone and speed.
  • LEGO Zip Line - Create a zip line carrier with string and LEGO pieces to test.

    • Critical Reflection

    The two activities I conducted were "Marble Run Design" and "LEGO Zip Line," which emphasized that engineering is an artform based on problem solving. Each child was engaged and excited to create, brainstorm and alter their projects on their own! "Marble Run" was more collaborative and a discussion piece for elements of design whereas "Zip Line" encouraged focus on forces of nature like downward pull, speed, and friction. What worked great was seeing the delight on children's faces when their creations worked the first time. What did not work so well was feeling frustrated when creations fell apart. If I were to do this again, I'd start by discussing what it means to be an engineer; that it's part of the process to fail and use trial and error before finding success. I'd also show more visuals/videoclips to inspire initial ideas to bolster confidence for weaker builders. According to Howard & Mayesky (2022), engineering experiences are critical in developing persistence, innovation, and learning together; thus by reframing failures as learning opportunities while celebrating achievements can better assist children's resilience in the future. These types of experiences not only taught the process of engineering but also taught children about self-efficacy and the disposition of working as a group; I'll continue this open-ended building concept with much reflection and collaborative peer work.

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