Introducing Engineering Design to a Science Teaching Methods Course Through Educational Robotics and Exploring Changes in Views of Preservice Elementary Teachers

Engineering has become an important subject in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which have raised engineering design to the same level as scientific inquiry when teaching science disciplines at all levels. Therefore, preservice elementary teachers (PSTs) need to know how to integrate the engineering design process (EDP) into their science teaching. In this article, we describe how we used the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Kit as part of a NGSS-aligned engineering unit in an elementary science teaching methods course to introduce EDP to PSTs. The use of educational robotics in introduction to engineering courses is not new in higher education institutions. However, integrating engineering through robotics in elementary teacher training is unique. PSTs, with no prior programming or robotics experience, were introduced to NGSS science and engineering practices, nature of engineering (NOE) ideas, and the Engineering is Elementary EDP via the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Kit. We found that PSTs improved their NOE views after experiencing the engineering unit.