UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 37, Page 3
July 20, 1995
Engineering outreach; College offers 'practical' workshop for teachers

     When will I ever use this material?" It's a familiar question posed to
secondary school teachers by mathematics and science students.
     The 58 teachers who attended the University's Engineering Outreach
workshop, "Engineering Concepts to Enhance High School Math/Science
Curricula," will return to their classrooms this fall ready with more than
just answers; they will begin addressing the new content standards
developed under the state's New Directions initiative.
     For two days in late June, teachers from 31 high schools, middle
schools and vocational technical schools throughout the state learned how
the math, physics and chemistry skills they teach are used in engineering
and applied to such projects as solar sailing ships and automobile
suspension systems.
     Other sessions discussed the engineering of various materials, light
wave communications, probability and statistics in transportation
engineering, energy and motion in violent weather systems, storms and the
shoreline and engineering a remote vacuum cleaner designed for persons with
physical disabilities.
     In addition, they witnessed laboratory demonstrations in
environmental, electrical, mechanical and oceanic engineering, as well as
projects in the Center for Composite Materials.
     "I didn't realize how much science I should really know in order to
make my math classes meaningful," Marueen Leclerc of Cape Henlopen High
School, said.
     Many of the teachers also were pleased to interact with colleagues
across disciplines.
     "We need more of this kind of thing," Reynold Clements, a Glasgow High
School physics teacher, said. He also suggested that the workshop be
extended to a third day, allowing expanded interaction and more in-depth
creation of lesson plans incorporating engineering concepts.
     Stuart L. Cooper, dean of the College of Engineering, emphasized that
the college is anxious to provide these supportive services to the state's
educators.
     "When we began planning this workshop, we were encouraged by the
support of school administrators but were cautioned that if we got 20
registrants for this first-time event we would be lucky.
     Kathleen C. Werrell, associate director of engineering outreach and
coordinator of the workshop, said, "Obviously, the enthusiasm has been well
beyond expectations, and we're already beginning to think about making this
an annual event."
     Werrell said several engineering faculty volunteered to work on the
event and school administrators provided input during the planning
sessions. Funding sources included the state Department of Public
Instruction (with Eisenhower Foundation Funds), the DuPont Co. and QUEST
(Quest for Excellence in Science Teaching).
     Plans and ideas generated by the workshop participants will be
compiled and distributed this summer to schools throughout the state.