Research Areas
INSPIRE’s faculty and staff have backgrounds in Engineering, Science Education, Mathematics Education, Engineering Education, Educational Psychology, Counseling and Curriculum and Instruction. This diversity allows INSPIRE to bring a wide range of STEM expertise to our research that addresses specific issues related to pre-college engineering education. INSPIRE’s advisory board is comprised of leaders from the industry, P-12 schools, university, and informal education spaces.
INSPIRE’s faculty serve on the Executive Boards for two different divisions of the American Society for Engineering Education as well as the Research in Engineering Education Network. In 2011 INSPIRE received a College of Engineering Faculty Award of Excellence. Additionally three out of five faculty members have received NSF CAREER awards and one has received the PECASE, and INSPIRE faculty and staff have received over $15M in NSF funding.
Broaden Participation
Broaden Participation
INSPIRE researchers explore how providing humanistic contexts for engineering design problems can improve students' engineering skills AND appeal to a broader, more diverse audience of students.
INSPIRE Projects
For more details on individual projects, select one from the following:
STEM Integration
STEM Integration
INSPIRE researchers explore how using engineering as a connection to teach engineering, mathematics, science, and technology can improve students' learning and engage more students in the classroom and beyond.
INSPIRE Projects
For more details on individual projects, select one from the following:
Classroom Assessment
Classroom Assessment
INSPIRE researchers found a relationship between science learning and design learning but no robust relationship between design performance and student learning.
INSPIRE Projects
For more details on individual projects, select one from the following:
Learning in Informal Environments
Learning in Informal Environments
INSPIRE researchers explore how people learn not only in school settings but also out-of-school settings: everyday activities, interaction with family members, visits to science centers, and play with toys and games.
INSPIRE Projects
For more details on individual projects, select one from the following:
Student Learning
Student Learning
INSPIRE researchers explore how young children think and learn about engineering in formal and informal learning environments. Their goal is to identify the ways young children make sense of the world as "little engineers" and to generate knowledge for the creation of curricula that will develop ability, knowledge and interest in engineering.
INSPIRE Projects
For more details on individual projects, select one from the following:
- CPALMS Model-Eliciting Activities Project
- Design Process Knowledge Task (DPKT)
- Draw an Engineer (DAET)
- Draw an Engineer Quick Code
- Effect of Social Presence in Virtual High School
- Engineering Construct Knowledge
- Engineering Gift Guide
- ENGRTeams
- Gradient
- Informal Pathways to Engineering (IPE)
- Integrated STEM and Computing Learning in Formal and Informal Settings K-2
- Mathematics as a Gatekeeper to Engineering: The Interplay between Mathematical and Design Thinking
- NHEA Pua Lililehua Project (The Beloved Children of Palolo Valley)
- NSF DR K-12
- PictureSTEM
- Relating Teacher Self-Efficacy and Knowledge to Student Outcomes
- WIWD (What is Engineering? What do Engineers Do?)
Student Engagement
Student Engagement
INSPIRE researchers explore different aspects of student engagement to enhance student learning, motivation, and their sense of belonging in and out of school environments.
INSPIRE Projects
For more details on individual projects, select one from the following: