ENGINEERING DESIGN

MS. WHITAKER

Education: Royal High School (Class of 2000)

San Diego State University: Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies

CSU, Northridge: Master of Arts, Secondary Science Education

ENGINEERING DESIGN

This pathway is open to people who enjoy working with basic elements of aerospace. This pathway also teaches features about aircrafts and other aeronautical items. This class lets students open up to experiment with aircraft designs, and learn modern aeronautic designs. Students will also learn the basic mechanics of aerospace in it and of itself. Mrs. Stiller is delighted to direct this pathway, for she is passionate in this area of teaching. Which definitely gives students an enjoyment, and that the teacher actually enjoys the material. Aerospace also lets students get hands on with different projects and activities. Students will get hands on with projects including tetrahedral kites, bottle rockets, and motorized paper airplanes. A lot of kids that are in this class very much enjoy the hands on work that this class offers, and this class is also offering field trips to destinations that include exclusive tours at the California Science Center, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In conclusion, this class brings enjoyment to kids who love aerospace and getting hands on with projects.

FEATURED TEACHER INTERVIEW: MS. WHITAKER

Q1. What would you say is your favorite thing about this pathway?
A1. It has so many different applications. You can design robots, you can do programming, you can do all sorts of different projects that are unique to the industry and it’s a lot of fun.

Q2. How does this pathway help students prepare for future careers?
A2. The pathway is part of this expanding set of careers in technology, so knowing these skills and being able to work cooperatively will be beneficial when they go out to get a job, and the skills that they’re learning are needed in the work force regardless of what type it is. And a lot of the careers out there are tech-based and require engineering. 

Q3. How do the classes in this pathway help diversify a student’s skillsets?
A3. Intro to Robotics and Engineering teaches basic skills that are needed in any sort of robotics, and it has an emphasis on the engineering and design process. And the advanced robotics takes all the skills learned in the intro class and applies them to unique challenges and it requires quick thinking and problem solving. So they get to see how it applies in a competition setting and they get to experience robotics in a high-school setting.

Q4. Does this pathway typically improve student’s performance in their academics?
A4. I believe that the engineering pathway does improve student performance in academics because it teaches them perseverance, critical thinking, and problem solving skills that are beneficial in all subject areas. This pathway also focuses on collaboration which is important when working on group assignments in classes and learning how to work as an effective group member. 

Q5. What advice would you offer to students considering to take this pathway?
A5. It’s important to have some working understanding of computer applications and mathematics before entering the class. Be prepared for things to fail spectacularly before you come up with a working design. Flexibility, creativity, and the ability to think outside the box are essential skills for the Engineering Design pathway. It’s okay to test a project more than once. Every test is an opportunity to improve and can lead to a new discovery. This pathway requires a lot of work, but it also lends itself to a lot of fun.  

FEATURED STUDENT INTERVIEW: ANDREW G.

Q1: What made you want to take this pathway?
A1: I would like to be an engineer when I grow up, and it would help me get to that position.

Q2: What was your favorite part of the pathway?
A2: My favorite part about robotics is how you get to build whatever you want, no questions asked.

Q3: Do you think you will ever consider getting a job related to this pathway?
A3: Yes, I would like to be a mechanical engineer. It would help me achieve that goal, and become a good engineer.

Q4:  Do you think you would take another class similar to this?
A4: Yes, because, as I already said, I want to be an engineer, and it would help me become better because instead of working with LEGOs, I would work with metal robots.

Q5: What advice would you give to students considering to take this pathway?
A5: Don’t take your robot apart before the actual final, because you still need to use the robot, and you would need to read the instructions again, and put it back together.