What Is Engineering and What Is Design?
It takes creative teams of engineers to design amazing things that have never existed before—such as the space shuttle. (Early U.S. space shuttle design concepts.)Copyright (kids) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (shuttle designs) 2008 NASA via Wikimedia Commons http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/about.html http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Space_Shuttle_concepts.jpg
Students are presented with an overview of engineering and design. Various engineering disciplines are discussed in some detail using slides and an online video and website. The concept of design is introduced by presenting the basic steps of the engineering design process. Students learn that design is not necessarily restricted to engineering, but a general concept applicable to all walks of life. To strengthen their understanding, students are challenged to design a picnic for their friends by considering its various components as they go through the design process steps. This prepares them for subsequent design challenges such as those in the associated activities of this unit. A PowerPoint® presentation, pre/post quizzes and worksheet are provided.
Engineers apply their in-depth understanding of scientific and mathematical subjects to design and create devices, structures and systems that improve our lives. While scientists investigate what already exists and discover new knowledge by peering into the unknown, engineers create what has not been—they make things that have never existed before. Engineering teams follow the steps of the engineering design process: understand the need/problem, brainstorm different designs, select the best design, make a plan, create and test a prototype(s), and improve it until a satisfactory solution is achieved. The process is cyclical and may begin at, and return to, any step.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Define engineering and identify different engineering disciplines/fields.
- Define design and provide examples.
- Identify the different steps in the design cycle and apply it to an example.