STEAM Project Example
The following is a design brief taken from Center for the Excellence in STEM Education ©2014. This is an example of what a typical STEAM project might look like on paper. After reading the background, watch the video, mentally work through the problem using the suggested criteria, constraints, and materials and then please provide your feedback on the forum.
Background: The 21st Century has become an environment where the telephone is no longer simply for making phone calls. Smartphones have emerged from various retailers and service providers allowing for the end user to take part in an endless number of activities all from the palm of their hand. In many cases people are rarely using the smartphone for that archaic tradition of making a phone call. Smartphones have solidified themselves as necessities in the lives of human beings from various ages, walks of life and social groups. Numerous companies have taken this opportunity to jump into the smartphone accessory pool by offering gadgets galore that will make using your smartphone a more enjoyable, productive experience.
Background: The 21st Century has become an environment where the telephone is no longer simply for making phone calls. Smartphones have emerged from various retailers and service providers allowing for the end user to take part in an endless number of activities all from the palm of their hand. In many cases people are rarely using the smartphone for that archaic tradition of making a phone call. Smartphones have solidified themselves as necessities in the lives of human beings from various ages, walks of life and social groups. Numerous companies have taken this opportunity to jump into the smartphone accessory pool by offering gadgets galore that will make using your smartphone a more enjoyable, productive experience.
View this video before proceeding.
Problem: The paper phone stand created following the instructions in the video is a nice model, but it doesn’t balance form and function very well, and while it might work well enough to prop your phone up at your desk, you need to innovate this design and develop a new and improved prototype targeting a specific demographic of your choosing. The criteria, constraints, materials and tools are listed below.
Criteria (requirements):
An innovative design must:
· Target a demographic user/audience
· Include at least 2 innovations to improve the FORM (aesthetics) for its intended user demographic
· Include at least 3 innovative features to improve or enhance the FUNCTION (usability)
· Incorporate at least one moving part or feature
· Utilize at least three different materials
Constraints (limits):
Must have:
•Groups of 3 or more members.
• One hour time constraint – start to finish
• Document any and all work in this portfolio
• Innovative Device will still resemble the original design in some ways
Materials:
· foam board
· tape
· glue/hot glue
· general art supplies
· cardboard
· any recycled materials
· brass fasteners
· pipe cleaners
Tools:
· Hot glue gun
· Hole punch
· Scissors
· Rulers
· Xacto knives
An innovative design must:
· Target a demographic user/audience
· Include at least 2 innovations to improve the FORM (aesthetics) for its intended user demographic
· Include at least 3 innovative features to improve or enhance the FUNCTION (usability)
· Incorporate at least one moving part or feature
· Utilize at least three different materials
Constraints (limits):
Must have:
•Groups of 3 or more members.
• One hour time constraint – start to finish
• Document any and all work in this portfolio
• Innovative Device will still resemble the original design in some ways
Materials:
· foam board
· tape
· glue/hot glue
· general art supplies
· cardboard
· any recycled materials
· brass fasteners
· pipe cleaners
Tools:
· Hot glue gun
· Hole punch
· Scissors
· Rulers
· Xacto knives
Thank you for working through this online course. We hope you enjoyed it and learned something new from it.
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Please post your thoughts and feedback about this suggested STEAM project on the forum. |