To mark the beginning of Engineers Week, the STEAM Education organisation and the Marine Renewable Energy Ireland (MaREI) centre have launched the Engineering in a Box programme for primary-level students.
The Engineering in a Box programme, which has already been successfully adopted by the Welsh government, provides lesson plans, as well as all relevant materials and supporting resources, online support and expert mentoring for little makers who want to dismantle things and get their hands dirty.
While launching during Engineers Week, the programme is expected to be spread across 10 weeks for primary students aged 9-to-13 and it will explore most aspects of engineering, including civil, chemical, mechanical, aeronautical, energy, biomedical, computer, environmental and electronic.
The programme will also be co-taught by engineering PhDs and industry personnel from relevant sectors, along with the pupils’ primary school teachers.
We want them to have fun
Much of the content of the Engineers in a Box programme was designed by researchers and engineers from the MaREI Centre in Ringaskiddy, Cork, which was recently awarded a new ‘wave’ of funding from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
“Engineering is problem-solving,” said Donal Murray, the programme’s principal programme designer.
“We want to give kids a chance to look at problem-solving in many different ways and create solutions to issues humanity has encountered throughout history and ones that engineers continually solve throughout the world today in ever-changing circumstances. We also want them to have fun and develop some skills that will help themselves and everyone in the future.”
