Pre-Engineering Courses at the High School – A Huge Draw for Students
The Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Department at Hortonville High School introduced a pre-engineering curriculum last school year called Project Lead the Way (www.pltw.org). PLTW is a national, non-profit organization established in cooperation with business/industry, post-secondary institutions, and public schools, with the purpose of developing opportunities for students while increasing the number of quality engineers.
With the high school never offering this type of curriculum before, teachers and administration didn’t know how students would receive it. It didn’t take long to realize that this would be a hit. Currently, there are 117 students enrolled in the two courses being offered. “We were hoping to be able to offer two sections of each course, (Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering), but as it turned out, we are offering three sections of each,” said Jeff Lebeck, a Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology (MET) instructor. “The students are extremely engaged and love the hands-on approach to learning. They are constantly asking me what is next.”
“With these courses, the department is now seeing a wide range of students,” says Principal Bob McIntosh. “We are very pleased to be offering this type of curriculum to be able to meet the needs of more of our student body.”
When students were asked what they liked best about the IED class, a freshman, Aly Fox, said, “It’s different than all my other classes. We get to do hands-on activities and it is computer based – we actually get to design and build projects. I also like the high expectations – you have a real sense of accomplishment when you complete a project.”
Junior, Chris Cavanagh, said, “I like the balance between the computers and the shop. We get to see and learn the process between the design and construction of projects.”
“You get a lot out of each project because of the way the class is taught” said Senior Mark Cismoski. “We are being taught every day skills, which will help me after I graduate.”
With the success of the IED last year, the MET Department is now offering “Principles of Engineering”. This class is designed for 10th or 11th grade students, and will expose the students to major concepts they’ll encounter in a post-secondary engineering course of study. Topics include mechanisms, energy, statics, materials, and kinematics. Senior Ryley Rosenfeldt says of POE, “It takes the skills I learned last year to a whole new level. I see the connection between the operation of parts and how math and physics play a key role in engineering.”
"POE is challenging in a fun way,” says Senior Lauren Goulet. “We spend more time looking at the way things work and why they work. It’s not only challenging, but this class will help me in my future engineering studies.”
“With 101 out of the current 117 students enrolled in both courses being underclassmen, we are expecting a large number of them to continue down this pathway” says Luke Koehler, another instructor who is trained to teach both courses. “Our biggest challenge right now is to make sure we have enough space to teach all the sections that the students are signing up for.”
Another major draw for students is that they can receive college credit (much like an AP course) from the Milwaukee School of Engineering for taking the class, provided that they meet certain criteria and the school receives accreditation from the Project Lead the Way. After just one year of offering the program, Hortonville High School is nationally accredited, and the students can apply for credit and receive a transcript from MSOE that can be used when they enter a post-secondary institution.
“It’s a great accomplishment to be nationally certified before the first year of completion; it normally takes two years” says Principal Bob McIntosh. “This speaks very highly of the instructors, administration and the school board – without their dedication and support, this would have never happened so soon.”
With the large number of students interested in these courses, two additional PLTW courses will be offered next year – Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) and Biotechnical Engineering (BE).
In BE, students explore the diverse fields of biotechnology. Hands-on projects engage students in engineering design problems related to biomechanics, cardiovascular engineering, genetic engineering, tissue engineering, biomedical devices, forensics and bioethics. Students (usually at the 11th and 12th grade level) apply biological and engineering concepts to design materials and processes that directly measure, repair, improve and extend living systems. Students must have earned a C in Biology, Chemistry and IED as the pre-requisite.
In CIM, students will explore how things are made, and what processes go into creating products. They will also learn if the process for making a water bottle is the same as it is for a musical instrument, as well as how assembly lines work. While students investigate these topics, they will be learning about the history of manufacturing, robotics and automation, manufacturing processes, computer modeling, manufacturing equipment, and flexible manufacturing systems. This course is designed for 10th, 11th or 12th grade students, and they must take IED or Inventor 3-D as a pre-requisite.
If you would like more information about Project Lead the Way, please visit their website at www.pltw.org, or contact Jeff Lebeck. He can be reached at 779-7900 ext. 12154 or jeffreylebeck@hasd.org
Also, ‘like’ the HASD PLTW Facebook page for weekly updates of what students are doing in class!
Article by : Jeff LeBeck, MET Instructor
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