Exploring High School Teachers’ Perceptions of Biologically Inspired Design Integration in Engineering Classrooms (Fundamental Research)

Biologically inspired design (BID) can serve as an inspiration and motivation for engineers to explore the natural world for novel solutions to societal problems. BID is an inherently multidisciplinary discipline that can cultivate the skills students require to create more economical and sustainable solutions to human challenges. Consequently, BID has paved its way into pre-college education. In this descriptive qualitative study, we explore high school engineering teachers' perceptions of biologically inspired design (BID) integration in engineering after they implemented the BID-focused curriculum within their respective classrooms. A thematic analysis of the data (i.e., teacher semi-structured interviews, background survey, classroom observation field notes) revealed that teachers perceived the value of teaching BID in engineering as imperative for student learning and engagement. Further, teachers felt that the curriculum allowed students and teachers to view nature differently.