Dr. Christine Cunningham will present “Engineering EiE®: The Research Behind an Exemplary Elementary Engineering Curriculum,” at the Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation’s (IEEI) Distinguished Lecture Series on Jan. 29 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in room 3002 of the Engineering Technology Building on the Texas A&M University campus.
Cunningham is vice president of the Museum of Science, Boston, and a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education,
Traditionally engineering education has been reserved for college students. Increasingly, however, engineering concepts and skills are being included in elementary-level instruction as national and state standards place unprecedented emphasis on integrating science with engineering starting with the youngest students.
This change presents some exciting possibilities, and also some challenges, as educators explore how to introduce engineering in an age-appropriate manner and in a way that is inclusive for all students.
Cunningham’s talk explores the role of research in the development of elementary engineering curricula, specifically how research and evaluation have grounded the development of Engineering is Elementary®, a national curriculum project based at the Museum of Science in Boston.
Cunningham holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Yale University and a Ph.D. in science education from Cornell University. Since 2003 she has been vice president of the Museum of Science in Boston, where she founded and directs Engineering is Elementary®.