SERVICE LEARNING
The NAE Grand Challenge Scholars program requires a service learning experience to deepen the student’s motivation to bring their technical expertise to bear on societal problems.
Engineering Fundamentals 320S: Engineering Design in K-12 Education
2 Credits
EF 320S provides students with a hands-on opportunity to apply the engineering design process while making a meaningful impact in local K–12 schools. Through community engagement and service-learning, students design, develop, and implement educational activities that introduce K–12 students to engineering concepts and encourage interest in STEM fields. Along the way, students explore foundational educational theories and research-based teaching practices to create engaging, age-appropriate learning experiences. This course connects engineering knowledge with real-world applications while fostering collaboration, communication, and a commitment to community service.
Planning and Documentation
Students in this program are expected to act independently, know all requirements of the program, and bring problems to the attention of the GCSP director promptly. They have the responsibility of choosing their interdisciplinary and optional coursework wisely, proposing a plan that has thematic continuity and connectivity. A yearly plan update meeting with the Director is required.
A narrative Portfolio is required at the end of the program that summarizes how the requirements were met, including any substitutions that were requested and approved, and a reflection on the total GCSP program both from the perspective of what the student felt they gained from the experience, and how the program could be improved. Documentation should include course syllabi, significant projects, and copies of published research results.