A modular approach to using the engineering design process in secondary science curriculum: Experiences in Singapore and the United States

As a result of classroom practice and Fulbright research in Singapore, a modular approach to employing the Engineering Design process to frame projects in secondary science curricula has been developed. It is meant to facilitate project design and implementation by teachers who have little or no background in engineering. The approach has been tried in classrooms in the United States and Singapore in biology, chemistry and physics classes. Research data indicates a better understanding of scientific concepts, more realistic knowledge of engineering and significant transfer of skills. The motivation for a more user-friendly approach is the need to incorporate more engineering into pre-university science to allow for more skills-based learning, real life connections and compliance with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). A Fulbright grant to study science education in Singapore, in particular at the School of Science and Technology, allowed an action-based research plan to be implemented to assess the development of performance tasks framed in the engineering design process. Triangulation of data based on student pre- and post-surveys, extensive classroom observation and teacher and student post-activity interviews provided clear qualitative data indicating better connection to scientific content and more divergent thinking than in traditional verification-focused lab activities.