Teaching Engineering Habits of Mind in Technology Education

There are three general principles that are becoming a part of the schools.  These principles involve emphasizing engineering design, incorporating important development applications in math, science and technology knowledge skills, and promoting engineering habits of mind.

This article breaks down these habits of mind with the following objectives in mind:

1. Obtaining life and career skills
2. Familiarizing one's self with information on media and current technology
3. Integrating the Core Standards within each lesson
4. Learning and innovating engineering skills

Below you will find a further breakdown of each of these engineering habits with a brief explanation of each:

A. Systems Thinking

Students must understand the interconnections between all technologies and consider the idea that technology is not just an artifact or physical object, but "part of a larger system".

B. Creativity

Students will use digital media tools with hands-on design for problem-based learning.

C. Optimism

Motivation and determination when working through difficulties that arise is learned and received.

D. Collaboration

Working together in groups "allows for design challenge perspectives, knowledge, and capabilities" to be shared and recognize the importance of working as a team.

E. Communication

In addition to working with each other, students should also develop skills in how to understand the wants and needs of a potential engineering customer.  They must understand how to make appropriate decisions in the design process according to the demands of the customer (or assignment regulations).

F. Attention of Ethics

Students will need to evaluate ways to work with a variety and constraints, but focus on activities that better our living-- including choice of cost, materials, and concerns that improve the environmental and societal impact that influence the way in which we live.

G. Assessment

Proposed performance-based rubrics are available through STEM Training.

Loveland, T., & Dunn, D. (2014).  Teaching Engineering Habits of Mind in Technology Education. Technology & Engineering Teacher, 73(8), 13-19.