Engineering is elementary: Children's changing understandings of engineering and science

Findings are presented from a research program conducted by the Engineering is Elementary curriculum development project. Students participating in testing of the EiE curriculum materials were given pre-assessments and post-assessments that included questions about general engineering and technology concepts, engineering questions specific to particular units, and questions on science topics relevant to particular units. A comparable control sample of students who did not study EiE curriculum units was also assessed. Analysis of the data shows that students participating in EiE performed significantly better on the post-assessments than on the pre-assessments. They also performed significantly better than control students on the postassessments. The engineering, technology, and science understandings of students participating in EiE significantly increased due to participation in EiE curriculum units.