Engineering resources for children-kindergarten through 12th grade: A case for dispositional learning

This article utilizes a long-established model for early learning to examine school-age behaviors associated with future engineering skills. Originally developed by Lilian Katz, the four learning components of the model include knowledge, skills, dispositions, and feelings. Interactive learning is described as the most successful form of instruction. It appears that dispositional learning or learning habits are a better focus for kindergarten through 12th grade engineering instruction, rather than specific knowledge about engineering or specific engineering skills. Engineering programs in elementary and secondary schools, web resources, and children’s books are sampled and described in four behavior categories associated with engineering-Thinking in New Ways; Finding Out How Things Work; Designing and Building and Disassembling and Rebuilding; Dreaming and Imagining.