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Rapid Design through Virtual and Physical Prototyping

Project 3: Engaging Children in Engineering

For project 3, you will design, build and test prototypes of a toy, game, or activity that engages children in learning about an aspect of engineering.

Your project must:

• engage a child's curiosity to learn
• appeal to all types of children, with differing levels of knowledge and abilities
• be safe and durable
• use appropriate and sustainable technology
• employ principles of universal design
• include at least one part manufactured by the team

Very Preliminary Project Ideas: Tuesday March 3

Preliminary Project Idea: Thursday March 18

You should plan on changing and improving your ideas as you get feedback from me, your classmates, children, your friends, etc.

Project Description: Due Tuesday March 23

By March 23, each group must create a web page that answers the following questions:

1. What is the engineering concept that the children will learn about?
2. What will the children do and how will they learn by interacting with your project?
3. How does your project meet the requirements given above?
4. What supplies will be needed? What needs to be manufactured? If appropriate, include a sketch of the activity.

Proof of concept prototype: Due Thursday March 25

Each team must bring a proof-of-concept prototype of their activity to class. The purpose is to see whether the exhibit will work and to get more concrete reactions and suggestions from the other teams. The prototype can be made out of anything and can be ugly as all get out, but it should demonstrate the concept and convince you that your idea probably will or probably won't work.

Sequence of prototypes in April:

The details on these prototypes will be added later. We will have groups of children coming to class to test the projects. Your first test with children will be at Moving 4th into Engineering on Saturday April 10th. Throughout this time, you will be refining and improving your activity.

Everyone in the class must register for Meeting of the Minds by Wednesday April 7, but you can't register until you have an abstract approved by me. We'll talk about this more in class.

Complete web site due Tuesday April 27

Your web site should document your project, explaining what it is teaching and how it works. This web site is for external consumption, so you should not include the design process information that you put in your portfolio.

Completed project due Thursday April 29

By Thursday April 29, you must turn in your completed project

Meeting of the Minds: Wednesday May 5

The final presentation of your project will be during Meeting of the Minds. All the projects will be set up in the Conan Room. More details to follow.

sfinger@ri.cmu.edu