Engineer Interviews - ‘Inspiration’ & EHoM Research
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Presentation delivered by Dan Woodcraft, Deputy Head Teacher at Benarty Primary School, at the 2016 SAFEE conference, 'Destination Engineering'.
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Engineer Interviews - ‘Inspiration’ & EHoM Research
- 1. ENGINEER INTERVIEWS: ‘INSPIRATION’ & EHOM RESEARCH BY DAN WOODCRAFT
- 2. WHO WAS INTERVIEWED? Babcock International, Rosyth, Monday 8th August • Rob Harrison - Engineering Manager • Adam Clarkson Engineer – Naval Architect • Scott Mitchell - Principal Engineer • Jen McGinley – Mechanical Engineer • Engineer Emily Lennox - Graduate Engineer (Naval Architect) • Stuart Naim- Apprentice • Jason Hunken – Computer Engineer • Aja Hunken – Product Engineer
- 3. CONTEXT • Landscape essay – ‘support is still needed in the form of role models from local industry.’ • My belief is supported by the 2015 Kings College London research with the need to build Science Capital: What you know. How you think. What you do. Who you know. • I was interested in the interviews of the influences/ inspiration of engineers and how we in education can develop the route for engineers by engaging more in the EHoM
- 4. EHOM FINDINGS 1. Educating of EHoM needs to happen within industry & schools. 2. Systems Thinking & Creative Problem Solving are key habits. 3. Range of Engineering Habits needed at different times in different roles. 4. ‘Describers’ is a habit of mind that could be added.
- 5. INSPIRATION FINDINGS 1. A clear range of influential Engineer. 2. Routes into engineering need to be clearer. 3. Hands on, inquisitive tasks will inspire the future engineers.
- 6. IMPACT ON PEDAGOGY 1. Raise profile of Engineering/ STEM in school. 2. Strong consistent links with industry must be made and maintained. 3. Teachers need supported to build STEM skills through progressions of skills and Problem Based Learning. 4. Move towards baseline assessment of STEM skills, to see if projects meet the desired outcome.
Editor's Notes
- Include what Babcock is; naval construction and decommissioning and tour. Helped that it was the site of last year’s Primary Engineer competition. Building Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier assembly. Even Nuclear submarines still awaiting decommissioning. I managed to make contact with a range of engineers in different strands of engineering and in different companies, BUT... Trying to get hold of a non-white ethnic engineers and female managers proved quite difficult for myself and my contacts. This supports the research from EngineeringUK, 2011, where 76% of SET trained women are not entering these careers. It’s great to see them at an engineering level but hard to find developing to management level. EL did say there were only 3 on her course. Certainly what rang true from one of the EngineeringUK research themes was: ‘Careers information, advice and guidance is still reinforcing gender stereotypes.’ (especially in Private school). All the women I spoke to explained how they independently pursued the career, without female inspiration and little support. AH had to study a course on Engineering herself in school from textbooks.??? Where boys had been actively encouraged for these sorts STEM careers, they had almost been discouraged but were resilient and determined enough to achieve their goals. It highlights for me as educator the essential need of making links with female engineers who can be vital role models. Range of engineers at different levels showed the engagement with EHoM in different ways with different priorities which I will go into later.
- These were key drivers for me in the development of my questioning on inspiration and EHoM: Who inspired you to get into engineering? What experiences, activities and skills do you think are essential for Primary School children today and when should it start?
- - No-one knew the term! Although generally agreed with the being the features of engineers. - I have just started STEM work in a new school who have done no work on STEM at all and are down the road from Babcock! 2. Logical & creative. Convergent & Divergent skills needed as an engineer! 3. Different projects or strands of engineering have a different focus on different habits. We need to think through what is our end goal? Do we want Technically able engineers or more project managers (systems thinking/ describers)? Within a process you do need those who can keep their head down and focus on their job in hand. In what we are developing is it a case or ‘Nature’ or ‘Nurture’? Are we looking to make clearer routes for those who have this EHoM disposition or we looking to develop it. There is obviously a balance, where these fit within the original 1980 ‘habits of mind’ list. I have made it a challenge to my staff team to look at developing these through Visible Thinking tasks this year. But a priority must be identifying those who display these EHoM and providing opportunities to explore these, to spark imagination and excitement in the possible routes this may take in life. 4. ‘Never going to be working as 1 person in engineering, it will always be as part of a team. It is something for someone.’ EL. Communication needs built. [See Reed Stevens quote, EHOM]. In terms of the project managers in engineering, they will need to communicate effectively with different teams and strands of engineers; having a full awareness of the whole system. On the other side, those learning the technical trade as apprentices and graduates need to develop the curiosity/ describing skills to work within their teams and be willing to ask when they don’t understand, which clearly is a frustration as many believe they are right anyway and won’t ask.
- Many of the engineers I spoke to were fortunate to have someone in their family who inspired them – brothers, fathers, grandparents, teachers. Close relationships who impacted their lives and worked alongside them [Sci capital reference]. The good news is the engineers explained that many companies have ‘community days’, perhaps four a year that can be given in different ways. It is my aim to build and develop links and relationships so that these days are spent in schools! Many engineers discussed they stumbled into the career or friends stumbled out. The pathways and skills are not clear, as stated earlier neither in the industry nor in education. The publicity/ PR needs to start from the earliest of ages. Schools I now work within are putting STEAM on the curriculum as a subject, and defining links. As defined in ‘Expansive Education’ it should not be an either/ or whether we teach hard facts and figures or the habits or mind BUT an AS WELL. Research tells us that deeper learning (DWECK) will take place through this applied learning of the key skills. Later at High School, this has to continue into Maths & Physics teachers clearly identifying the STEAM pathways and career routes. This is now being highlighted through the DYW doc. More than half the engineers interviewed identified that for EHoM to be developed and the thinking and learning that goes along with it more creative problem solving should be taking place and opportunities for pupils to be curious. This will happen through projects where pupils have to work together to solve problems and be involved in the planning process themselves, so they can be modelled the inquiry approach. The PBL approach supports this well. In this way I believe, if we involve engineers to support with the projects, we will develop EHoM whilst inspiring the next generation in the different careers as well, especially if they already have this disposition and we are merely unlocking potential waiting the spark.
- ‘Engineers @ work in Nursery/ STEAM as school curriculum subject. STEAM challenges on display – website, twitter, assembly, halls. We want to build relationships and have familiar faces in the school and a range of them, so all children can identify with them. Specifically at Babcock (Fiona/ Charlotte) and FMC in Dunfermline. Through this and leading at schools contacts/ links are being made and must now be maintained. I have developed a STEAM and Science Progression at 3 schools that supports staff with planning and ensures a coverage of key skills. Staff I have worked alongside have gained confidence in PBL and engaging with the pupils but it can be anxious for staff asking – What do you knows? What would you like to find out? How would you like to share your knowledge (say, write, make, do) ? This end result focus linking with key STEAM skills drives forward the opportunity for the building of EHoM and will inspire future generations of our DYW. From reading, research and these interviews I have a belied that this could make a great impact, but as part of professional enquiry I want to measure the impact (including career choices) and research the best method for this.