Board 168A: Initial Development of a Pre-college Engineering Framework: An Analysis of the Engineering Accreditation Board in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Pre-college engineering education has been spotlighted to lay the foundation for a new generation with more robust science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related abilities. While much research has been established in the Western side of the world, pre-college engineering education development in Southeast Asia (SEA) countries still needs to be examined. This study is interested in how SEA countries cope with the new emphasis on engineering education. Notably, we are interested in examining the new developments and takeaways in SEA. As the regional education hub, Singapore has ventured into emerging STEMrelated industries and education fields. Despite having a world-class education system and a high reputation for its competitiveness and innovativeness, a quality pre-college engineering education framework still needs to be improved. This study aims to reconstruct and define what constitutes a quality K-12 engineering education for regional SEA countries. The framework developed in this study results from research using Singapore as a case study to re-evaluate engineering education strategies and STEM education initiatives. Currently, the only framework that includes engineering fundamentals is the accreditation issued by the Institute of Engineers, the Engineering Accreditation Board (EAB) in Singapore. The EAB documents focus mainly on higher education engineering degree programs. However, a structure is needed to articulate the core ideas in engineering appropriate for pre-college engineering education. Thus, established on extensive literature review and past empirical work, this study aims to identify critical indicators in engineering education at the K-12 level. Re-evaluating the definition of the critical indicators also enables the study to outline criteria for pre-college engineering education. Therefore, in line with this proposal, our research questions are (1) what are the key indicators for quality and comprehensive engineering education at the K-12 level in Singapore? (2) How does the proposed framework play a role in facilitating engineering teaching at the K-12 level? And (3) what other implications does the improved engineering teaching have on other subjects or disciplines? Ultimately, crafting a new framework with the close collaboration of experts in the fields enables educators to gain valuable insights into implementing engineering education at a highly contextualized level.