A Study of Problem Exploration Heuristics of Families (Fundamental)

To meet the demands of science and engineering practices in K-12 education, elementary students are often engaged in well-defined problems as opposed to ill-defined authentic problems and puzzling phenomena that mirror the work of professional engineers. In our research, we consider the home environment as an alternative route to engage elementary-aged students in authentic engineering problems that are grounded in familial and cultural contexts and assets. The purpose of this study is to add to the growing body of knowledge of the use of heuristics in the identification of engineering problems and brainstorming of solutions that are relevant and applicable to young children. By examining the various problem exploration heuristics families utilized when identifying and exploring authentic problems in their home environment, more is learned about ways families and home environments can be leveraged to engage young children in engineering practices and design thinking.