Practicing engineering while building with blocks: identifying engineering thinking

Children's free play naturally enhances skills of observation, communication, experimentation, as well as development of rationale and construction skills. These domains, while synthesised, can lead to the development of certain process models regarding the way constructions could be designed, built and improved. The Design Process model constitutes a core concept of engineering. Blocks seem to be one of the best tools to use in order to work towards the development of such a model. This is a qualitative observational study in preschoolers’ free playing with blocks. Eighteen children aged three- to five-years-old were observed and videotaped for four months to examine whether young children can demonstrate instances of precursors to engineering behaviour while building, by demonstrating similarities to the Design Process. Analysis of the video data showed that children demonstrated and articulated goal-oriented design, problem-solving thinking, innovation stemming out of synthesis of multiple designs, pattern repetition (PR) and design testing (DT).

[1]  Jack R. Lohmann,et al.  Defining, developing and assessing global competence in engineers , 2006 .

[2]  Sean Brophy,et al.  Advancing Engineering Education in P‐12 Classrooms , 2008 .

[3]  L. Vygotsky.  Play and Its Role in the Mental Development of the Child , 1967 .

[4]  Richard Shelton Kirby.  Engineering in History , 1956 .

[5]  J. P. M. Pannell.  An illustrated history of civil engineering , 1964 .

[6]  Рябова Елена Валериевна,et al.  Подготовка студентов педагогических направлений к проектной деятельности на основе принципов Всемирной инициативы «Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate» , 2013 .

[7]  Michael Cole,et al.  THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN. , 1925, Science.

[8]  B. V. Koen,et al.  Discussion of the Method : Conducting the Engineer's Approach to Problem Solving , 2003 .

[9]  Reed Stevens,et al.  Multiple Perspectives on Engaging Future Engineers , 2011 .

[10]  M. Tomasello.  The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition , 2000 .

[11]  D. Q. Nguyen,et al.  The essential skills and attributes of an engineer: a comparative study of academics, industry personnel and engineering students , 1998 .

[12]  Otto Rompelman,et al.  Practical training and internships in engineering education: Educational goals and assessment , 2002 .

[13]  Billy V. Koen,et al.  Toward a Definition of the Engineering Method. , 1984 .

[14]  Yousef Haik,et al.  Engineering Design Process , 2002 .

[15]  Antti Myllärinen.  Korkeakoulutuksen työelämälähtöisyyden kehittäminen Conceive – Design – Implement – Operate (CDIO) – viitekehyksellä , 2012 .

[16]  Kathy Hirsh-Pasek,et al.  Why Play = Learning: A Challenge for Parents and Educators , 2006 .

[17]  Demetra Evangelou,et al.  Engineering curriculum in the preschool classroom: the teacher's experience , 2015 .

[18]  Aikaterini Bagiati,et al.  Early Engineering: A Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum for Young Children. , 2011 .

[19]  Jana Fuhrmann,et al.  The Engineering Design Process , 2016 .

[20]  Edward Zigler,et al.  The Cognitive Child Versus the Whole Child: Lessons From 40 Years of Head Start. , 2006 .

[21]  Elizabeth Vaughan,et al.  Teaching Numeracy, Language, and Literacy with Blocks , 2006 .

[22]  Patrick T. Terenzini,et al.  The Effects of Students’ In- and Out-of-Class Experiences on their Analytical and Group Skills: A Study of Engineering Education , 2007 .

[23]  L. Katehi,et al.  Engineering in K-12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects. , 2009 .

[24]  Henry Petroski,et al.  Invention by design: how engineers get from thought to thing , 1996 .

[25]  S. Sarma,et al.  "Student Ambassadors": Developing an Older Student Cohort , 2012 .

[26]  J. Stevenson.  The cultural origins of human cognition , 2001 .

[27]  Rob Johnsey,et al.  Observing the way primary children design and make in the classroom: an analysis of the behaviours exhibited , 1993 .

[28]  Alan R. Parkinson,et al.  Engineering Study Abroad Programs: Formats, Challenges, Best Practices , 2007 .

[29]  Sean Brophy,et al.  Precursors To Engineering Thinking (Pet) , 2007 .

[30]  Demetra Evangelou,et al.  An examination of web-based P-12 engineering curricula: Issues of pedagogical and engineering content fidelity , 2009 .

[31]  Cynthia J. Atman,et al.  Conceptions of the Engineering Design Process: An Expert Study of Advanced Practicing Professionals , 2005 .

[32]  Ann L. Brown,et al.  How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. , 1999 .

[33]  William A. Wulf,et al.  The Urgency of Engineering Education Reform , 1998 .

[34]  Henry Petroski,et al.  To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design , 1986 .

[35]  Michele A Lobo,et al.  Postural and object-oriented experiences advance early reaching, object exploration, and means-end behavior. , 2008, Child development.