The Engineering Challenge for the 21st Century Program was initially based on concepts from the Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE) model. The TIDEE model was developed in the mid 1990s to focus on continuous improvement of engineering design education. The primary thrust of the TIDEE model focuses on team-based activities that allow students to effectively develop the necessary skills to become qualified, productive, and successful engineers and technologists of the future. The Engineering Challenge Program focuses on project based learning in a team environment and targets two important educational groups: underrepresented students as well as faculty from high schools and community colleges in Connecticut. In order to further develop the students’ interpersonal and organizational skills, the Engineering Challenge Program expands on the TIDEE model through development of technical writing and professional skills including project management, teamwork skills, understanding behavioral diversity using DISC behavioral profiles, and personal accountability. Interdisciplinary teams of high school teachers and college faculty work with a CT-based management consultant group to deliver the program by “teaching teachers” effective methods to assess and coach teamwork in the classroom and labs. The Engineering Challenge Program has impacted over 250 students composed of high school and undergraduate students from community colleges and to a lesser degree four-year universities. By targeting underrepresented student participants, the program has been effective in engaging its participants in pursuing education and careers in STEM-related disciplines. Approximately 35% of the participants have been females and 53% of the participants’ non-Caucasian.

ResumenSe exponen las estrategias construidas por docentes de educación preescolar de México para afrontar retos de la convivencia y la disciplina en el aula. Las estrategias mencionadas fueron clasificarlas en tres grupos: de contención, pedagógicas, y de atención especializada y psicológica. Algunas de las entrevistadas señalan que su empleo sistemático contribuye a la reducción de conductas disruptivas o eventos de indisciplina en el aula; otras manifiestan incertidumbre frente a los resultados de ahí que recurran al apoyo de especialistas. En esta contribución, además de

The Connecticut (CT) College of Technology with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) has established the Center for Life Support and Sustainable Living. The Center is the result of partnerships with the CT Community Colleges, four-year institutions, local hospitals and industry, and the collaboration with NASA through the CT Space Grant College Consortium. The primary goals of the Center are the following: (1) to provide teams of community colleges and four-year university students opportunities to apply science, engineering and technology knowledge as well as professional skills necessary to be successful in future employment to real-world problems that address life support and sustainable living issues; (2) to strengthen the 2+2+2 pathways between community colleges and four-year institutions; (3) provide professional development opportunities for community college faculty; (4) implement strategies to recruit and retain a diverse population of students interested in STEM disciplines; and (5) develop multi-media curriculum modules using contextual or problem-based-case-based learning (PBCL). The project has instituted interdisciplinary teams of community college and university students who are initiated into the program with intensive instruction and project planning and management, leadership, teamwork, and behavioral diversity using DISC behavioral analysis profiles during an intense three-week period during the winter intersession. In addition to the initial training, student participants must commit to working approximately 250 hours during their school year for which they are working on their respective team-based projects. As part of their hours, they must meet as a full team a minimum of twice each month. Participating students are currently mentored by two and four-year faculty and industry representatives. So far, the research has been conducted during the summer months and the academic year on life support and sustainable living projects for NASA, the U.S. Coast Guard, medical facilities, such as the CT’s Children’s Medical Center, and industry partners such as Hamilton Sundstrand and Kaman Aerospace. As a result of these research projects, the community college and four-year faculty are implementing real-world life support and sustainable living projects and collaboratively are writing multi-media Project-Based-Case Based Learning modules, which incorporate technology and science skill standards. The Problem-Based-Case-Based multi-media modules are being piloted at the CT College of Technology’s community colleges and universities.