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Engineering Analytic Principles and Predictive

Computational Skills for K-12 Students:
Statistics on High School
Age-Possible Introduction to STEAM Topics to
Engineering and Technology Educators and Curriculum Developers
Edward Locke
(edwardnlocke@yahoo.com)
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Monterey Park, California, USA

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Original Research Data
Sources of Data
Table 1 lists the college-level Textbooks 1, 2 and 3 used for the extraction of analytic
and predictive principles and computational formulas related to the subject of introduction to
STEAM and product design.
Table 1. Data Source (Introduction to STEAM Textbooks)

Title
Authors
Publisher
Year
ISBN
Number of Pages

Textbook 1
Studying Engineering A Road Map
to a Rewarding Career, 3rd Edition
Raymond D. Landis
Discovery Press
2000
0-9646969-5-9
280

Textbooks Examined
Textbook 2
Energy in World History
Vaclav Smil
Westview Press
1994
0-8133-1902-1
292

Textbook 3
Invention by Design How Engineers
Get from Thought to Thing
Henry Petroski
Harvard University Press
1996
0-674-46368-4
230

Initial Determination of High School Age-Possible Introduction to STEAM Topics

The outcome of this research is very encouraging. Tables 2A and 2B indicate that:
(1). for all Textbooks 1 through 3, 100% of all sections, and 100 % of the volume in the
selected Textbook 1 is descriptive and informational with little or no inclusion of
mathematics skills; and (2) no prior mastery of physics and chemistry concepts or skills is
needed for reading and homework assignments.
Table 2A. Statistic on Textbook 1 (Studying Engineering A Road Map to a Rewarding
Career, 3rd Edition by Raymond D. Landis)
Pre-Calculus Level Concepts and Skills Found in All Chapters/Sections
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
N/A

Page Information
Page
Number of
Numbers
Pages
N/A
N/A

N/A
N/A
Calculus Level Mathematics
Concepts and Skills
Chapters/Sections
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
Chapters with Pre-Calculus Level Mathematics Concepts and Skills ONLY
Volume = Total Number of Pages Number of Pages with Calculus Skills = 280 - 0 = 280 pages
Number of Chapters = Total Number of Chapters Number of Chapters with Calculus Skills = 8 0 = 8 chapters

Statistical Summary
Total Number of Pages Covered by Text
(Excluding Index): 280
Percentage of Pre-Calculus Sections
Number of Pre - Calculus Sections
% Pre -Calculus
100%
Total Number of Sections

52
100% 100.0%
52

Total Numbers of Chapters and Sections:

8, 52
Percentage of Sections with Calculus Skills
Number of Sectionss with Calculus Skills
%Calculus
100%
Total Number of Sections

0
100% 0%
52

Total Numbers of Chapters with Pre-Calculus Skills Only:

Total Number of Pages with Pre-Calculus Skills Only:
8 out of 8
280 out of 280
Percentage of Pre-Calculus Volume:

Number of Pre - Calculus Pages

280
100%
% Pre-Calculus
100% 100.0%
Total Number of Pages
280

Conclusion on the Textbook:

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This textbook presents a great deal of valuable information on engineering education, career, professional organizations, and others. For
all practical purposes, the entire content of knowledge in this textbook is descriptive and informational, without mathematics-based
predictive and computational formulas, or any prior mastery of physics and chemistry concepts or skills for reading the textbook or for
completing homework assignments.

Table 2B. Statistic on Textbook 2 (Energy in World History by Vaclav Smil)

Pre-Calculus Level Concepts and Skills Found in All Chapters/Sections
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
N/A

Page Information
Page
Number of
Numbers
Pages
N/A
N/A

N/A
N/A
Calculus Level Mathematics
Concepts and Skills
Chapters/Sections
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
Chapters with Pre-Calculus Level Mathematics Concepts and Skills ONLY
Volume = Total Number of Pages Number of Pages with Calculus Skills = 292 - 0 = 292 pages
Number of Chapters = Total Number of Chapters Number of Chapters with Calculus Skills = 6 0 = 6 chapters

Statistical Summary
Total Number of Pages Covered by Text
(Excluding Index): 292
Percentage of Pre-Calculus Sections
Number of Pre - Calculus Sections
% Pre -Calculus
100%
Total Number of Sections

23
100% 100.0%
23

Total Numbers of Chapters:

6, 23
Percentage of Sections with Calculus Skills
Number of Sections with Calculus Skills
%Calculus
100%
Total Number of Sections

0
100% 0%
23

Total Numbers of Chapters with Pre-Calculus Skills Only:

Total Number of Pages with Pre-Calculus Skills Only:
6 out of 6
292 out of 292
Percentage of Pre-Calculus Volume:

Number of Pre - Calculus Pages

292
100%
% Pre-Calculus
100% 100.0%
Total Number of Pages
292

Conclusion on the Textbook:

This book deals with the discovery and application of different types of energy from prehistory through the Middle Age to the modern
society. It is a descriptive and informational source of reference. This book or books with similar content could be used to teach
elementary school students about energy, environment, and sustainable economic growth.

Table 2C. Statistic on Textbook 3 (Invention by Design How Engineers Get from Thought to
Thing by Henry Petroski)
Pre-Calculus Level Concepts and Skills Found in All Chapters/Sections
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
N/A

Page Information
Page
Number of
Numbers
Pages
N/A
N/A

N/A
N/A
Calculus Level Mathematics
Concepts and Skills
Chapters/Sections
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
Chapters with Pre-Calculus Level Mathematics Concepts and Skills ONLY
Volume = Total Number of Pages Number of Pages with Calculus Skills = 230 - 0 = 230 pages
Number of Chapters = Total Number of Chapters Number of Chapters with Calculus Skills = 10 0 = 10 chapters

Statistical Summary
Total Number of Pages Covered by Text
(Excluding Index): 230
Percentage of Pre-Calculus Chapters
Number of Pre - Calculus Chapters
% Pre -Calculus
100%
Total Number of Chapters

10
100% 100.0%
10

Total Numbers of Chapters and Sections:

10, N/A
Percentage of Chapters with Calculus Skills
Number of Chapters with Calculus Skills
%Calculus
Total Number of Chapters

0
100% 0%
10

100%

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Total Numbers of Chapters with Pre-Calculus Skills Only:
Total Number of Pages with Pre-Calculus Skills Only:
10 out of 10
230 out of 230
Percentage of Pre-Calculus Volume:

Number of Pre - Calculus Pages

230
% Pre-Calculus
100% 230 100% 100.0%
Total
Number
of
Pages

Conclusion on the Textbook:

This textbook presents case by case studies of inventions from paper clips to zipper, aluminum can, airplane, computers and numerous
others. This book, or books with similar content, could be used to teach elementary school students about the concept of invention, and
train their conceptual design abilities.

Conclusions and Recommendations

This report has presented (1) information about three college-level textbooks selected
for the initial determination and selection of high school age-possible topics (Table 1), and (2)
the outcome of the research on the inclusion of mathematics, physics and chemistry concepts
and skills needed for reading and homework assignments (Tables 2A through 2C). The
following are recommended: (1) Pilot study: Primary schools could conduct pilot pedagogic
experiments to determine the actual age-feasibility and age-appropriateness of all related
knowledge content identified in Tables 2A through 2C, using the selected Textbooks 1, 2 and
3; and (2) Curriculum development: Existing K-12 engineering and technology curriculum
developers could use the Tables 2A through 2C as references for the development of new K12 engineering instructional materials.
About the Author:
Edward Locke is a product designer, CADD specialist, digital graphic artist, and independent scholar on K12
STEAM issues. He taught engineering graphics and CADD technology with product design projects to students
from diverse ethnic backgrounds (Latino, Vietnamese-, African-, Caucasian-Americans, and others) at Santa
Ana College, California (2000-2007) as an adjunct instructor, practiced product design and graphic design
(1994-2014), pursued graduate studies at California State University Los Angeles (2004-2007) and then at the
University of Georgia as a National Center for Engineering and Technology Education Fellow (2007-2009). He
graduated in 2009 with an Education Specialist degree from the College of Education, Department of
Workforce Education, Leadership and Social Foundations at The University of Georgia, Athens. He is
currently working on issues of K12 engineering and technology curriculum, in collaboration with professors of
the Engineering Department, at East Los Angeles College; and he could be reached at
edwardnlocke@yahoo.com. Edward Lockes professional works, college-level textbooks and instructional
materials, as well as research writings and curriculum development documents are featured in his four websites:
(1) Scholar STEAM K12 Plus (K12 engineering and technology curriculum at
http://scholarsteamk12plus.weebly.com/), (2) SuniSea Products (consumer product design, engineering graphics
and CADD technology at http://suniseaproducts.weebly.com/), (3) SuniSea Design (graphic design and visual
communication at http://suniseadesign.weebly.com/), and (4) SuniSea Creation (traditional and digital arts at
http://suniseacreation.weebly.com/).
Acknowledgement:
This is to acknowledge the assistance and advice provided by Professor Jose Ramirez, Professor Kamyar
Khashayar, Professor Humberto Gallegos, and Professor Artin Davidian, at the Engineering Department, as
well as Learning Assistance Center Director Maria Elena Yepes, and Instructional Aide Elizabeth Arroyo, at
East Los Angeles College, in supporting the agenda to improve K12 STEAM education in the United States on
the basis of my published Vision Paper.