by George Westrom
Odetics
It's easy. It's fun. It's economical. It works!
"It" is FSEA - Future Scientists and Engineers of America - a complete curriculum for the fourth grade through high school that consists exclusively of hands-on projects in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics.
Developed by engineers, scientists, and technicians, the projects involve such science concepts as energy, motion, friction, electricity, and explorations in the life sciences. Yet, to keep the projects current with the world outside, the offerings are continually expanded to reflect prevailing concepts that are important to the technical and non-technical business sponsors who underwrite the cost of the program.
Students, by performing projects that teach teamwork, communication, problem solving, and much more, build technology portfolios and earn their membership cards. Those cards are symbolic of the student's level of achievement, since they acknowledge that students are solving real engineering and science problems while gaining an appreciation for what the real world of engineering and science is like.
The portfolio consists of certificates, received at the end of each project, which describe all the science, engineering, mathematical, technical, and non-technical concepts that were part of each project. The portfolio also functions both as a vehicle for helping students describe the curriculum to their parents and as a useful reference guide when students enter college.
FSEA unites local businesses, technologists, students, teachers, and parents through their involvement with the local school. The industry mentors meet with student teams of 25 students for one hour every week, giving students a real appreciation both for the work the mentors do in the jobs and for the importance of mathematics and science in the workplace. At the same time, each chapter's Parent Coordinator makes parents aware of FSEA activities.
Does it pay off? It does if you're a fourth grade girl whose land yacht sail car just beat all the other contenders, including the boys. Her response was very simple - "I didn't know I was good at this." Yet she wasn't alone. All FSEA projects are team projects. Two to four students combine their resources and learn to work together, reflecting that today's business successes require team effort in which communication is absolutely essential. In the words of an inner-city sixth grader, "I'm doing science, but it doesn't seem like it. It's fun." As far as we're concerned in FSEA, that's the point.
FSEA is voluntary, a continuous link between school and the world of work and daily life. Its 30-plus projects take a little money and a little of your time, but they mostly take a commitment - to get hands-on learning and continuous community involvement back into all K-12 schools.
