This paper presents a case study on integrating civil engineering discipline into K-12 education by engaging in-service STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers through a professional development workshop. The workshop introduced a series of learning modules and hands-on activities designed for secondary classrooms, aiming to bridge key mathematical and scientific principles with real-world civil engineering applications. The learning modules focused on: (i) demonstrating friction and normal force, linking them to soil’s friction angle, (ii) relating an object’s friction on an inclined surface to slope stability analysis, and (iii) illustrating the effectiveness of a logarithmic scale for representing data with a wide range of magnitudes using a soil particle size distribution curve. Twelve in-service STEM teachers from across West Texas participated in the workshop, which concluded with an evaluation survey. The survey results indicated that the learning modules aligned well with the K-12 curriculum, and most participants reported gaining new instructional ideas to implement in their classrooms. These modules have strong potential for K-12 teachers to adapt and integrate into their lessons, helping students better understand fundamental science and mathematics concepts while exploring real-world applications through the lens of civil engineering.

Authors:
Hoyoung Seo, Texas Tech University, United States
Minju Yi, Texas Tech University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Hoyoung Seo is an Associate Professor of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering at the Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.

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