Engineering in the classroom provides various hands-on activities that allow students to create, design, and build different models to support their learning experiences. It takes on various forms for different year levels. There are several benefits to incorporating engineering in the classroom such as fostering creative thinking skills, collaboration skills as well as logical thinking skills, and more. At Astor International School, we incorporate engineering in the classroom to support children in their development.
Firstly, having engineering activities promotes critical thinking skills. In the Year Three and Four classrooms, the students were tasked to create a roller coaster using different recycled materials. Each group had a ping pong ball to use as the carriage and the students had to ensure that the ball could move on the roller coaster tracks that they were building. Different students came up with different ideas and they had the time to test out their ideas before finalizing their design. This process provided skills in analyzing problems, thinking critically, and developing creative solutions.
Secondly, most engineering projects require teamwork and collaboration. This teaches the students to be more open-minded and to listen and test out other student’s thoughts and ideas. Furthermore, it promotes communication among the students as they have to work as a team to complete the project. Each member plays a part in collecting the different resources in different areas and coming together to create their team’s design. Every effort from every member counts.
Thirdly, engineering projects often relate to real-world challenges and applications. Students are able to understand how things work in a bigger context even though they might be using smaller materials to create it. In the Year Three and Four classrooms, there was another learning experience where the students were tasked to build a bridge that needed to support at least four small cars. Students explored the concept of the foundation of a bridge and how it supports the weight of all the vehicles on the bridge. This allows students to explore the properties of different materials and which material would be best to build a bridge and how the bridge should stand on its own with several vehicles on it.
Lastly, engineering projects build resilience and perseverance. During the creation process, students experiment with their ideas and sometimes they fail. This allows students to try again or do it differently so that they can learn from their experience in a shared environment. When students fail in their creation process, it also allows them to reflect on their initial ideas and think about how they can improve their designs. It fosters a reflective mindset and gives students a safe space to fail and try again. They quickly learn that no idea is perfect from the start and everyone is constantly trying to improve themselves.
Overall, having engineering in the classroom enriches the educational experience by combining theoretical knowledge with practical application, preparing students for success.
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