What problem?
The first step of the engineering design process is to identify the need or problem. Teachers continually pursue professional development opportunities that will hopefully motivate students in the classroom, encourage deeper thinking, prepare students with the skills for the 21st century, and ultimately make their classroom an engaging, meaningful, and an exciting place for students. Developers of this site shared these "problems" in their classrooms...
"My physics classes struggled mightily when I began at NCCES, especially with the scientific and mathematical background necessary to access physics. However, my students possessed a great strength: their ability to learn and work in a project-based environment. By 2010, students entering Physics knew about the Engineering Design Process and the habit of following the Common Principle of ‘student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach’. They craved a chance to use the Engineering Design Process in a project that could help them learn physics on a dynamic level." - Mike
"My students were not engaged in learning and disliked physics. They could memorize equations and how to solve specific problems by repeating what they had already done, but could not apply concepts to solve new real-world or open-ended problems. I was also bored teaching the same material the same way every semester." – Josh
"The biggest problem of practice I face is that fact that students dump a great deal of my content upon completion of the class. This is an issue of relevance; too few of my students feel that the material is important. I need to change my approach; the EBL helps my students see the value of the content they are learning. My worry was that my instructional method was reinforcing passive learning; I was concerned that students just expected me to provide all of the answers, I wanted them to do more thinking, more risk taking and so I needed something different. EBL helps me promote more creativity, more risk taking and greater active learning." – Ramiro
"Feeling that I am stuck in an endless cycle, where I teach theories according to the common core and curriculum. Yet my students struggle with open response questions and real life applications. Through professional development every one claims they have the answer like “Keys to comprehension”, “UBL”, “UBD” and so forth. The Engineering process is a clear and systematic process that helps students apply what they learned to a real life problem solving or creation, while staying true to the common core and the curriculum." - Rachid
"In my class, students struggle connecting real-life problems and academic knowledge. My course has a large number of curriculum standards required for success on state-mandated exams. Providing students with an Engineering-based learning task using the EDP framework, gives students an opportunity to connect academic knowledge with a real-life task. It also allows students to design, collaborate, and present their solutions to a larger audience. Finally, EBL expands the opportunities for assessment, including looking for and collecting background research, incorporating the construction of a prototype, multiple opportunities to carry out data-analysis, use presentation skills, and self-assessment/reflection." - Rocco
"Students often have trouble applying knowledge and developing skills to solve real-world problems. This is often due to lack of engagement, difficulty retaining information, and inexperience applying academics to real life."- Stacey
"I observed a growing disconnect between the students and the materials lessons I taught. The tricks of the past did not seem to have the same effect and enlisting power. After attending a Capstone class at Northeastern and lengthy conversations with other professionals, a new idea blossomed. Embed the lessons of the classroom within an ongoing project. The project we chose was building a mouse trap car. I chose the Engineering Design Process methodology as our guide to help students achieve the project goals. Immersed in the building of their car were opportunities for rich discussions of the science behind the workings of the car. It also helped students gain a physical and mental connection to the Newtonian mechanics involved in the motion of the car. - Phil
"Our observations have identified today's students as uninvolved, apathetic, and distracted. Through the EDP they have the opportunity to become engaged, passionate, and focused on their learning. Whatever your need or problem is, the engineering design process (EDP) is the solution. The EDP is a guide for your students to solve the identified problem." - Mark, Kurt
"My physics classes struggled mightily when I began at NCCES, especially with the scientific and mathematical background necessary to access physics. However, my students possessed a great strength: their ability to learn and work in a project-based environment. By 2010, students entering Physics knew about the Engineering Design Process and the habit of following the Common Principle of ‘student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach’. They craved a chance to use the Engineering Design Process in a project that could help them learn physics on a dynamic level." - Mike
"My students were not engaged in learning and disliked physics. They could memorize equations and how to solve specific problems by repeating what they had already done, but could not apply concepts to solve new real-world or open-ended problems. I was also bored teaching the same material the same way every semester." – Josh
"The biggest problem of practice I face is that fact that students dump a great deal of my content upon completion of the class. This is an issue of relevance; too few of my students feel that the material is important. I need to change my approach; the EBL helps my students see the value of the content they are learning. My worry was that my instructional method was reinforcing passive learning; I was concerned that students just expected me to provide all of the answers, I wanted them to do more thinking, more risk taking and so I needed something different. EBL helps me promote more creativity, more risk taking and greater active learning." – Ramiro
"Feeling that I am stuck in an endless cycle, where I teach theories according to the common core and curriculum. Yet my students struggle with open response questions and real life applications. Through professional development every one claims they have the answer like “Keys to comprehension”, “UBL”, “UBD” and so forth. The Engineering process is a clear and systematic process that helps students apply what they learned to a real life problem solving or creation, while staying true to the common core and the curriculum." - Rachid
"In my class, students struggle connecting real-life problems and academic knowledge. My course has a large number of curriculum standards required for success on state-mandated exams. Providing students with an Engineering-based learning task using the EDP framework, gives students an opportunity to connect academic knowledge with a real-life task. It also allows students to design, collaborate, and present their solutions to a larger audience. Finally, EBL expands the opportunities for assessment, including looking for and collecting background research, incorporating the construction of a prototype, multiple opportunities to carry out data-analysis, use presentation skills, and self-assessment/reflection." - Rocco
"Students often have trouble applying knowledge and developing skills to solve real-world problems. This is often due to lack of engagement, difficulty retaining information, and inexperience applying academics to real life."- Stacey
"I observed a growing disconnect between the students and the materials lessons I taught. The tricks of the past did not seem to have the same effect and enlisting power. After attending a Capstone class at Northeastern and lengthy conversations with other professionals, a new idea blossomed. Embed the lessons of the classroom within an ongoing project. The project we chose was building a mouse trap car. I chose the Engineering Design Process methodology as our guide to help students achieve the project goals. Immersed in the building of their car were opportunities for rich discussions of the science behind the workings of the car. It also helped students gain a physical and mental connection to the Newtonian mechanics involved in the motion of the car. - Phil
"Our observations have identified today's students as uninvolved, apathetic, and distracted. Through the EDP they have the opportunity to become engaged, passionate, and focused on their learning. Whatever your need or problem is, the engineering design process (EDP) is the solution. The EDP is a guide for your students to solve the identified problem." - Mark, Kurt