"Students who used SAE International's A World In Motion® (AWIM) program acquired and retained a strong knowledge of engineering." This was one of the key outcomes from a five-year study conducted by SAE International and Goodman Research Group, Inc. on the long-term impact of the AWIM program on students and teachers.
Other highlights from the study include:
• AWIM challenge activities successfully teach students specific content.
• When an industry volunteer is involved with AWIM activities, students learn more.
• The involvement of an industry volunteer during AWIM activities leads to strong student knowledge of engineering that is sustained over time.
• AWIM use has a cumulative impact for teachers.
• Students in the younger cohorts (in 5th and 7th grades when the study began) sought out more STEM-related experiences over time.
• Use of AWIM, particularly repeated use, increases teachers' confidence and comfort with teaching science in innovative ways.
"We are extremely pleased with the results of this study," Matthew Miller, director, SAE Foundation, says. "This data reinforces the fact that the AWIM program is an important part of teaching the crucial components of science, math and technology to school-age children across the U.S. and Canada."
In 2005, Goodman Research Group, a research firm that specializes in the evaluation of educational programs, materials and services, was engaged by SAE International to conduct a five-year, two-part multi-method evaluation of the long-term impact of the AWIM program on students and teachers.
An executive summary of the study is available at www.awim.org .
To receive a complete copy of the AWIM Longitudinal Study, e-mail [email protected] and use the word "study" in the subject line.
