What do you think of this engineering enrichment class

[LNC]

http://youngengineersoftoday.com/

 

Almost $500 with materials (including Rasberry Pi) for a middle school class that meets 2x month in person and 2x week online for 4 months?

 

We have never gone to an outside class, never mind paid. My husband and I are humanities majors and we are clueless to help him, so we may need to start outsourcing now?!

[jennynd]

I am looking at the aerospace since I am Mechanical engineer and DH is Aerospace engineer. I found very little detail. It says use a computer simlation tool to help design a rocket... That doesn't stike me as right thing to do when you have kids trying to learn the physics. I will want them to do hand calculation and experiment. The last thing I want is to have my kids punch some number in the computer and boom...u get the rocket

 

I will ask from recommdation for people who had used the program or ask for more detail what was covered in each session.

[LNC]

I am looking at the aerospace since I am Mechanical engineer and DH is Aerospace engineer. I found very little detail. It says use a computer simlation tool to help design a rocket... That doesn't stike me as right thing to do when you have kids trying to learn the physics. I will want them to do hand calculation and experiment. The last thing I want is to have my kids punch some number in the computer and boom...u get the rocket

 

I will ask from recommdation for people who had used the program or ask for more detail what was covered in each session.

 

I know people who took a course last semester, but it only covered knex, snap circuits, and a flight simulator program. I was not interested in the flight simulator and felt my son had mastered the other subjects on his own. Their children really enjoyed it.

 

Rasberry Pi is something I was already looking at, along with Arduino. I'm not sure if he can figure that out on his own next summer, if I give him websites and books to help?

[Trilliums]

I am not familiar with that program. In the time the class meets and the subjects covered though, it must only include a cursory intro to those subjects. It could be useful in providing an overview of various engineering concepts/techniques, but probably does not go into great detail in teaching specific skills. If there were not other opportunities in the area, I would definitely consider this class for my kids though, as it is definitely well aligned with my boys' interests. Middle school was an excellent time for my kids to try out these kinds of activites. Science *enrichment* activities in middle school exposed my son to the usefulness of higher level math and ultimately changed his work attitude toward math.

 

I would also encourage you to look for local 4H clubs that have a science and engineering club or project area.