One of the primary goals of engineering education is to promote the development of an engineering mindset. Also referred to as ‘engineering practices’ or ‘engineering habits of mind’, the engineering mindset refers to the values, attitudes, and thinking skills associated with engineering.
1. Real World Problems
2. Use of Systematic Engineering Design Process
3. Explore the Properties and Uses of Materials
4. Balance Criteria and Constraints
​5. Envision Multiple Solutions
6.   Apply Science and Math
7.   Evaluate Designs and Iterate
8.   Persist through and Learn from Failure
9.   Working Effectively in Teams
10. Identify and Engineers

Pathway to an Engineering Mindset

STEM and Engineering programs, activities, and curricula fall into a into a set of categories that represent an education pathway for students to use as they build their engineering skills and mindset. This sequence does not reflect a linear progression of knowledge and skills. Our intent is not to recommend that students do engineering activities before participating in an engineering club or competition. This is more of a framework to think about how students might develop their skills and provide “hand-off” points between categories.
1. Engineering Activities
2. Engineering Units
3. Afterschool Engineering Clubs
4. Club-based Engineering Competitions Teams
5. Summer Engineering Camps
6. Engineering Competitions
​7. Mentoring Opportunities

Student Design Activities

Take Flight!
​Lesson focuses on flight and how the design of a glider will improve aerodynamic function. Students build and test their own gliders out of simple materials. Age 8-12
Design Your Own Cooler
Design a cooler that will keep a bottle of water cool using the engineering design process. Test and graph the results to determine the effectiveness of the solution.
Design a Watercraft
Design and build a boat out of straws and plastic wrap that can hold 25 pennies for at least ten seconds before sinking.
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Hawai‘i Afterschool Alliance
University of Hawai‘i
1776 University Avenue, ​WA1-102
Honolulu, HI 96822
808-956-6515