Student presents research
David Reeping, a sophomore in engineering education from Richfield, Ohio, presented "Changing Perceptions: Do Engineering Activities Make a Difference in K-12 Environments?" at the 2013 Frontiers in Education conference in Oklahoma City, Okla.
The paper described an experiment Reeping designed to assess whether engaging K-12 students with an engineering activity had a lasting effect on their perception of engineering. He found that students' perceptions of engineering were more accurate and authentic after an in-class activity, The Marshmallow Challenge, and this perception was still intact two months after the event.
This work is important as teachers try to integrate engineering concepts into K-12 and try to help build a better understanding of engineering.