The Infinity Project SM Bringing Engineering Education to Schools Across the Country

1. Engineering Education for Today’s Classroom The Infinity ProjectSM Bringing Engineering Education to Schools Across the Country The Institute for Engineering Education infinity-project.org

2. History of the Program Started in 1999 as a partnership between Southern Methodist University, Texas Instruments and leading national engineering faculty. • Purpose: Respond to the national challenge of exciting and preparing young students for advanced education in engineering, technology, math, and science.

3. Curriculum Development Team • Developed in partnership with subject matter experts in the field of engineering and education • Ongoing multi-million dollar investment in curricula materials

4. What is The Infinity ProjectSM? Award Winning Engineering Education Program • Based in Caruth Institute for Engineering Education • Emphasizes innovation in addition to problem solving • Appropriate for: • Early College Students • High School Students (10th – 12th) • Middle School Students (6th – 8th) • Outreach Camp Students • Hands-on application of math & science to topics of interest to students • Internet, cell phones, electronic music, digital cameras

5. Program Breadth • 350+ High Schools/Middle Schools/Colleges in 37 States • Public, Private, Magnet Schools • Gaining international interest • Australia, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Mexico, Portugal Massachusetts Maine Michigan Mississippi Missouri New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Ohio Alabama Alaska Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia West Virginia Wisconsin

6. Infinity Project Partners: Universities, corporations, government agencies and many others

7. The Complete Solution Instructional Materials • High School/College Textbook • Middle School Student Manual • Instructor’s Guide • Daily Lesson Plan • Chapter Presentation Slides • On-line Customer Support • Technology Kit • Turns PC Into “Engineering Design Platform” • Professional Development • Instruction in Use of Hardware, Software and Text • Week Long Sessions Hosted by University Partners

8. Elements to Success • Two Key Elements for The Infinity Project’s Success • 1. Award winning, high quality program • 2. Easy for schools to implement • Added benefits: • low cost • works with existing teacher base • significant classroom support • high impact

9. Engineering Curricula

10. Key Course Objectives • The student develops an understanding of the engineering design process. • The student uses a variety of technological devices to design, build, and test engineering concepts. • The student applies mathematical knowledge to engineering technology. • The student explores the connections between humans and technology to enhance the human utility of engineering designs. • Inspire students to pursue higher level math & science

11. High School Engineering Curriculum The Infinity Project - Engineering Our Digital Future Year long course designed for students that completed Algebra II and one lab based science Course may also be taken concurrently with Algebra II Provides math, science, or career & technical elective credit Also taught at the college level as Introduction to Engineering Typically taught as a stand alone course Curriculum may be incorporated into existing math/science/CTE courses Instructional Materials Include: “Engineering Our Digital Future”, Instructors Manual, Student Manual Daily Lesson Plan Guide, PowerPoint Lecture Infinity Project Technology Kit with LabVIEW software On-line Customer Support

12. Engineering Our Digital Future Outline • Chapter 1 - The World of Modern Engineering • Chapter 2 - Creating Digital Music • Chapter 3 - Making Digital Images • Chapter 4 - Math You Can See • Chapter 5 - Digitizing the World • Chapter 6 - Coding Information for Storage and Secrecy • Chapter 7 - Communicating With Ones and Zeros • Chapter 8 - Networks From the Telegraph to the Internet • Chapter 9 - The Big Picture of Engineering

13. High School Engineering Curriculum The Infinity Project for Computer Applications Adapted Engineering Our Digital Future Curriculum for 9th and 10th grade students Enhances Computer Applications Course by introducing hands-on engineering concepts Aligned with Texas Computer Applications TEKS Provides Technology Education Graduation Credit Instructional Materials Include: Daily Lesson Plan Guide, PowerPoint Chapter Lecture Student Lab Manual for Computer Applications Textbook “Engineering Our Digital Future” Infinity Project Technology Kit with LabVIEW software On-line Customer Support

14. Computer Applications Outline • Unit 1 – Introduction to Engineering • What Scientists & Engineers Do, Birth of Digital Age, Moore’s Law, Organizing Engineering Designs • Unit 2 – Basics of Engineering Involving Video • Size, Negative & Shifting of Images, Thresholding, Creating a Calculator in LabVIEW • Unit 3 – Basics of Engineering Involving Sound • Sound as a Signal, Shifting Amplitude • Unit 4 – Digitizing the World • Creating a Digital Newsletter, Signals & Sampling, CAD • Unit 5 – Coding Information • Storage & Secrecy, Quantization • Unit 6 – Careers in Engineering • Teamwork/Leadership/Time Management, Computer Jobs, Safety/Standards

15. Middle School Engineering Curriculum The Infinity Project – Engineering for Today’s Middle School Designed to get students in 6th – 8th grade excited about math, science and engineering through hands-on activities Activities centered on 13 three-week modules covering disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Environmental, Biomedical Engineering Modules may be incorporated into 6th-8th grade math, science, technology classes or grouped together and taught as a standalone course Modules supported by rigorous math and science curriculum Instructional Materials Include: Instructors Manual with Text, Exercises, Lab Activities, Daily Lesson Plan Guide and Power Point Lecture for each Module Student Manual with Text, Exercises, Lab Activities for each Module Infinity Project Technology Kit with LabVIEW software Lego Mindstorms NXT Kit On-line Customer Support

16. Middle School Curriculum Outline • Introduction to Engineering Design • Learn how engineers apply a nine-step design algorithm to create objects students use every day • Sound Engineering – Making Great Sounds • Discover how technology is used to make music and movies sound great • Digital Imaging – Pixel Yourself in the Digital Domain • Learn how technology is used to create and manipulate digital images • Watt’s Up in Power • Uncover the secrets behind electrical power generation and transmission • Rocketry:Achieving Liftoff I • Explore the physics behind rocket motion • Rocketry: Achieving Liftoff II • Discover where rocket engines get their power & understand rocket trajectories • Robots from Concept to Completion • Learn the mechanical aspects of robots, how they move, manipulate objects and think

17. Middle School Curriculum Outline • Machines – Making it all Work • Examine the basics of machine technology and how it has helped the development of civilization • Structures – The Roofs Over Our Heads • Discover the concepts behind solid structures and their ability to stand the test of time • Engineering in the Natural World • Increase awareness of environmental issues and how technology can be used to develop solutions • Engineering Our Planets Future • Explore how the Earth’s climate is changing and how new technologies will meet the challenge • Imaging The Human Body • Find out how modern medicine is using space age technology to better understand how the human body works • Engineering the Human Machine • Discover how engineers & medical scientists are tackling human heath issues and expanding our understanding of what it means to be human

18. Professional Development • Focus on Supporting Educators in the Classroom • Fun, week-long summer institutes review curriculum and technology associated with each course • Teachers really begin to think and act like engineers • Provides 35 hours of professional development credit • Taught by Master Infinity Project Instructor with years of classroom experience • Materials to Support Classroom Experience • Instructor’s Manual • Daily Lesson Plan Guide • PowerPoint Chapter Lecture • Engineering Design Projects • Test Questions, Homework Solutions • On-line Customer Support

19. Student Impact Findings from Qualitative Assessment prepared for Texas Education Agency as part of Innovative Course Renewal Instructors report that students Obtain deeper understanding of math and science Improve performance in other math and science classes Increase willingness to take other math and science classes Increase desire to pursue engineering and/or technology degrees in college Students report 83% “considering engineering as a career” 40 times higher than the typical 2% 95% “learned new math concept” 94% would “recommend course to a friend”

20. Becoming an Infinity School • Complete & submit Infinity Project application www.infinity-project.org/joinnow • Interview conducted with school principal & instructor • Schools acquire classroom technology & textbooks • Instructors attend Professional Development Institute • Course offered in fall