Note to Readers
Starting with our next issue, this newsletter and blog for teachers will have a new look and a new name. It will be part of an unprecedented effort by the American Society for Engineering Education to draw students and teachers into the world of engineering.
This new, multimedia exploration is called eGFI – Engineering, Go For It (egfi-K12.org).
The package combines:
- A magazine, available in print and online, that opens up the world of engineering with profiles and features on an array of engineering disciplines, opportunities for discovery, and careers;
- A regularly updated blog and e-newsletter for students; and
- A newly designed eGFI website and blog called For Teachers and a bi-weekly electronic newsletter for math and science teachers called News for Teachers.
If you subscribe to Go Engineering, you’ll get the newsletter automatically. All the features you now enjoy – lesson plans, activities, special features and the many web resources – will be clearly categorized and attractively arranged in a more easy-to-use format. Future issues will spotlight innovative teachers and offer contests and quizzes to stimulate teachers and students alike.
eGFI meets a crucial need in American education. Studies show American students to be falling behind their peers from other advanced countries in math and science skills. At the same time, President Obama and other policymakers are concerned that without more engineers and technology professionals, the United States could lose its competitive technological edge.
Increasingly, educators recognize that engineering, which stresses hands-on teamwork and imaginative problem solving, stimulates and enriches math and science learning. The latest indication comes in a new report by the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council’s Center for Education, which says such experiences not only increase awareness of and interest in engineering, but may improve student interest and achievement in science and math more broadly and increase technological literacy.
With 1.1 million copies already in circulation, the eGFI-Engineering Go For It magazine has already captured multiple awards for design and content. The new, fourth edition is even better, with fresh, cutting-edge examples of engineering innovations that are transforming fields from aerospace to architecture and materials science to medical care. Written by professional journalists and edited by a Stanford-trained engineer, it illustrates new and vital ways that engineering can cut pollution and fossil-fuel consumption, ensure cleaner water and sustainable agriculture, and contribute to healthier and more fulfilling lives. Particular emphasis is placed on drawing women and under-represented minorities into engineering. The new magazine will be available for the first time both in print and online.
We hope you will enjoy the new eGFI experience. Your comments and suggestions for further improvements are welcome. Just click “contact us” at the top of the page.
