Probes, Suggested Grade Levels, Concepts, and Connections to the Three Dimensions

WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY?

1- Surrounded by Technologies (3-12); technology; ETS2.B: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about technology. The probe is designed to reveal how students determine whether something is a technology. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

2- Is It a Technology? (3-12); technology; ETS2.B: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas technology. The probe is designed to reveal what types of things students consider to be a technology. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

3- What’s the Purpose of Technology? (3-12); ETS2.B: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the purpose of technology. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that technologies are developed to meet human needs and preserve the environment. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

4- How Do Technologies Change? (3-12); technology, technological advancement; ETS2.B: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about how technologies change. The probe is designed to reveal whether students realize that most technologies change over time. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

5- Block Diagrams (3-12); block diagram, technological system, technological process; model; SEP: Developing and Using Models; SEP: Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about block diagrams. The probe is designed to reveal how students interpret a block diagram. Type of Probe: Representation Probe

6- Technology, System, or Both? (3-12); technology, system; CCC: Systems and System Models; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about technological systems. The probe is designed to reveal how students envision a system and its parts. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Opposing Views Probe

7- Systems Within Systems (6-12); technology, system, technological system; CCC: Systems and System Models; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about technological systems. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that all systems are nested within and and interconnected with larger systems. Type of Probe: Always, Sometimes, Never Probe

WHAT IS ENGINEERING?

8- Who Engineers? (3-12); engineer; NOS: Science Is a Human Endeavor; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about engineers. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about who engineers and the kinds of work they do. Type of Probe: Draw a Picture Probe

9- Who Can Become an Engineer? (3-12); engineering profession; NOS: Science Is a Human Endeavor; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about who can become an engineer. The probe is designed to reveal what students think people need to become an engineer. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

10- Team Players? (3-12); engineering profession, teamwork; ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about engineers and teamwork. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about the way engineers work in teams. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

11- Working Together to Save Lives (6-12); engineering profession, contributions from other professions, teamwork; ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the role of different professions in solving an engineering problem. The probe is designed to reveal that engineering often requires the contributes of different people working in different professions. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

12-How Are Science and Engineering Similar? (5-12); science, engineering; common practices; connection to all the scientific and engineering practices; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about engineering and science. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that science and engineering share several similarities. Type of Probe: Descriptor Justified List Probe

13- Is Engineering Creative? (3-12); creativity in engineering; NOS: Science Is a Human Endeavor; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about creativity in engineering. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about the extent to which they think creativity is part of engineering. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

14- Reasons for Success (3-12); science, engineering, claim, evidence, reasoning experimentation; SEP: Engaging in Argument From Evidence, SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations; CCC: Cause and Effect; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the use of evidence and reasoning in supporting a claim. The probe is designed to reveal how students consider evidence and reasoning in considering an engineering solution to a problem. Type of Probe: Problem-Solving Friendly Talk Probe

15- Is Engineering Experimental? (3-12); science, engineering, experimentation; SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about experimentation as part of engineering. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that controlled experimentation is not just a process used in science. Type of Probe: Follow the Dialogue Probe

16- Is It Rocket Science? (6-12); interdependence of science and technology; ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about complementary role of science and engineering in designing technology. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that some fields require both science and engineering. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

DEFINING PROBLEMS

17- An Engineering Design Process (3-12); engineering design process (EDP), systematic process; ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions, and ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution; Scientific and Engineering Practices; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about an engineering design process. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about engineering design as a logical sequence.. Type of Probe: Ranking Probe

18- How Do Engineers Solve Problems? (3-12); engineering design process (EDP), systematic process; ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions, and ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution; Scientific and Engineering Practices; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about how engineers use an engineering design process to solve problems. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize there is no one fixed set of steps and that different approaches are used depending on the problem. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

19- What’s the Problem? (3-12); defining a problem; ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, SEP: Asking Questions and Defining Problems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about identifying a problem. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about the problem to be solved in an ill-defined problem situation. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

20-Who Needs It? (3-12); client; ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, SEP: Asking Questions and Defining Problems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about who to consider when solving a problem. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that engineers consider the needs of different individuals when considering how to solve a problem. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

21- Is It an Engineering Problem? (5-12); engineering problem; ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, SEP: Asking Questions and Defining Problems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about approaching a problem. The probe is designed to reveal which types of problems benefit from an engineering design approach. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

22- Criteria and Constraints (5-12); criteria, constraints, defining a problem; ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, SEP: Asking Questions and Defining Problems; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about criteria and constraints. The probe is designed to determine how students identify the criteria and constraints in a problem. Type of Probe: Quantifying Probe

23- Pizza Problem (3-12); researching a problem; ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems, ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about researching a problem. The probe is designed to reveal the extent to which students think a problem needs to be researched before proposing a solution. Type of Probe: Problem-Solving Friendly Talk Probe

DESIGNING AND TESTING SOLUTIONS

24- Brainstorming (3-12); brainstorming, teamwork; ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about brainstorming. The probe is designed to reveal what students consider the norms of the brainstorming process. Type of Probe: Follow the Dialogue Probe

25- Engineering and Nature (3-12); biomimetics; ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions; CCC: Structure and Function, CCC: Patterns; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about how engineers use designs from nature. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that nature can provide inspiration for creative solutions to problems. Type of Probe: Opposing Views Probe

26- Is It Affordable? (5-12); tradeoffs; ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions, ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about tradeoffs. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that tradeoffs involve sacrificing one or more ideas for another. Type of Probe: Problem-Based Friendly Talk Probe

27- What Is a Product’s Life Cycle? (3-12); life cycle analysis, environmental impact; ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions; ETS2.B: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World; CCC: Cause and Effect; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the life cycle of a product. The probe is designed to reveal how students apply life cycle analysis. Type of Probe: Comparison Chart Probe

28- Engineers’ Models (5-12); model; ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions, ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution; SEP: Developing and Using Models; CCC: Systems and System Models; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about models. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about the types of models used in engineering. Type of Probe: Example/Non-Example Justified List Probe

29- Picking the Best Solution (6-12); decision matrix, tradeoffs; ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions, ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution; SEP: Analyzing and Interpreting Data; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about a decision matrix. The probe is designed to reveal how students interpret and use a decision matrix. Type of Probe: Comparison Chart Probe

30- Designing with Math and Science (6-12); application of math and science; ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology; SEP: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the role of mathematics and science in engineering. The probe is designed to reveal how students think about various ways mathematics and science are used in an engineering problem. Type of Probe: Comparison Chart Probe

31- Testing for Success (3-12); testing models; ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution; SEP: Developing and Using Models; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about testing a model. The probe is designed to reveal how students think testing is used to improve a design. Type of Probe: Concept-Based Friendly Talk Probe

32- Making It Better (6-12); optimization, iteration; ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution; CCC: Cause and Effect; The purpose of this probe is to elicit students’ ideas about optimizing a design. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize there are multiple pathways to iterating and optimizing a design. Type of Probe: Problem Solving Friendly Talk Probe