| NSF Org: |
EEC Division of Engineering Education and Centers |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 28, 2013 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | February 20, 2019 |
| Award Number: | 1351728 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Edward Berger
EEC Division of Engineering Education and Centers ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | January 1, 2014 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2020 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $455,125.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $534,328.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2019 = $79,203.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
660 S MILL AVENUE STE 204 TEMPE AZ US 85281-3670 (480)965-5479 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
ORSPA Tempe AZ US 85287-6011 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
EngEd-Engineering Education, EDA-Eng Diversity Activities, BRIGE-Broad Partic in Eng |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001920DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
This study seeks to (1) explore the ways in which Navajo students and Navajo professionals experience and understand engineering design in the context of their culture, community, and society; (2) conduct a design-based research study on the development of culturally-contextualized theory of learning and curriculum modules that will be piloted in several schools in the Navajo Nation; and (3) create and pilot tools to evaluate Navajo students? experience of engineering design. Under the theoretical frameworks of social constructivism and culturally relevant pedagogy, this study will use a phenomenographic approach to explore the ways that Navajo students and Navajo professionals experience engineering design in the context of their culture, and a design-based research approach to apply the results from the phenomenography in the iterative development of culturally-contextualized engineering curricula.
With the focus on engineering in the Next Generation Science Standards, the results of this study will provide critical insight into how to engage and evaluate Navajo students in culturally-contextualized engineering design curricula, which will illuminate pathways for higher education and careers in STEM fields.
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The mission of this research was to develop a theory of culturally relevant engineering design curricula and assessment tools for Navajo middle school students, grounded in a qualitative research study of how Navajo students and Navajo professionals experience, understand, and apply engineering design in the context of their culture, community, and society. Results have informed the design of ten culturally relevant engineering design lessons that teach Navajo culture and engineering design together in a holistic way. Curriculum modules included (1) Future Chapter Presidents, in which students designed a future vision for their communities; (2) Identifying and Solving a Problem, in which students use the Diné engineering design process to develop solutions; (3) Intro to the Engineering Profession, which introduces engineering through the lens of stories from professional Navajo engineers; (4) Solving a Problem with the Scientific Method and the Dinѐ Engineering Design Process; (5) Size of the Sacred Mountains: A Lesson in Scale and Proportion; (6) The Great Animal Escape: Portable Livestock Corral Design Project; (7) Culture and Geometry of the Hogan (a traditional Navajo dwelling); (8) Hogan Heat Transfer; (9) Illuminating the Great Seal of the Navajo Nation, which teaches both the symbology behind the Navajo Nation Seal and basic electrical circuit concepts; and (10) Bringing Electricity to the Remote Hogan, which teaches students how to design a solar energy system. These curricula aligned with the Diné Culture Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards have been piloted in multiple middle school STEM classrooms across the Navajo Nation, and were shown through external evaluation to be effective in helping Navajo students engage in STEM content in a culturally responsive way. The results of this study provide critical insight into how to engage Navajo students in engineering design in a way complementary to their culture. This foundation will support future educational innovations and illuminate pathways for Navajo students to pursue higher education and careers in STEM. Additionally, the culturally respectful research process used in this research could be used to develop culturally relevant curricula for other cultures.
Last Modified: 11/15/2020
Modified by: Shawn S Jordan
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