STEP UP Engineering Class
7.5.2022 - 7.29.2022 | Brockton, MA
PURPOSE / MOTIVE
Engineering class at 2022 Brockton STEP UP Camp was designed and created to promote more exposure of technology/engineering for the students from low-income families. The goal of the class was to provide opportunities for students to find interest and passion in topics of engineering and help to get exposure to resources/supplies that are less accessible to the students.
DID YOU KNOW?
Underrepresentation of low-income students in STEM field has been a continuous problem persisting through a negative-feedback loop of causes and effects. One of the major causes of this marginalization is the lack of exposure to technology and resources from a young age. Most low-income families, often times, cannot afford personal technologies in their household such as computers or decent internet, and even with the such adequate equipments, families find it difficult to provide an appropriate environment and guides for the kids to develop their learning interests. Furthermore, families living in a less-privileged neighborhood, with less financially-supported educational institutions, are more likely to have limited access to STEM resources and experience. All these causes contribute to inequity in inherent opportunities and loss of potential in students that become more apparent in secondary education through postsecondary, and to career development stage. These effects ceaselessly pervade through future generations as well, causing the cycle to evolve unless conflicted by help of an external impact.
view reference sources>
MISSION STATEMENT
To provide a fun and engaging engineering class that introduces various engineering concepts through projects and activities that are not commonly accessible to underprivileged students.
3D Designing
Motor vehicle project was ran for the second half of the program where students worked in groups to design and engineer a vehicle that implemented a DC motor. Throughout the project, students were encouraged to think with scientific approaches, learning different concepts in engineering such as the operation of simple DC circuit with a battery and a motor, different implication of propeller/paddle in the overall system. Students also learned to work in a team environment, dividing up the role and expressing different ideas in a respectful manner.
DC Motor Vehicle Building
Motor vehicle project was ran for the second half of the program where students worked in groups to design and engineer a vehicle that implemented a DC motor. Throughout the project, students were encouraged to think with scientific approaches, learning different concepts in engineering such as the operation of simple DC circuit with a battery and a motor, different implication of propeller/paddle in the overall system. Students also learned to work in a team environment, dividing up the role and expressing different ideas in a respectful manner.
