Presenter: Erin Fitzgerald
In this session, participants engage in a hands-on engineering design challenge that empowers them to take on the role of engineers as they design a technology to solve a problem. Participants then reflect on the actions that were taken to solve the challenge and collaboratively construct an understanding of the engineering design process. Presenters also lead a discussion on how participant-driven activities can address effective K–12 STEM instruction, as defined by the recent NRC reports.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Erin Fitzgerald, Senior Professional Development/Curriculum Associate, Museum of Science, Boston
Erin Fitzgerald is a senior professional development/curriculum associate on the Engineering is Elementary (EiE) Professional Development team, and a representative of the NSF-funded project, Engineering is Elementary: Engineering and Technology Lessons for Children. Prior to joining EiE, Fitzgerald was a corps member in Teach for America. While at Teach for America, she taught high school math in Milwaukee, Wis., in both the public and private school systems and led trainings for first- and second-year Milwaukee math teachers. She received her SB from MIT where she studied mechanical engineering and literature, and received her MEd from Marquette University in Educational Policy and Leadership with a focus in secondary math education.
