Health clinic infrastructure design across cultures in a high school biology course

A design project is a great way to engage and interest students about engineering subjects. This paper describes an engineering design project intended for use within the high school classroom that transcends global boundaries. The main goal of the project is to give students a better understanding of engineering, and introduce students to the concept of engineering design. Students assume the roles of engineers, first designing, and then building a small model of a health center. This paper describes the design project, as conducted in East Africa, which has a similar component implemented within the United States. Project implementation in East Africa occurred over a two-week period, while the project is designed to last for a longer period in the United States. Survey results and classroom observation from the East African component reveal project efficacy in the areas of student engineering awareness, engineering interest, engineering efficacy, and cross-cultural sharing.