Southern School of Engineering
Durham County Schools
Mentors: Dr. Nancy Shaw, Project Lead the Way, Duke University; Gigi Karmous-Edwards, MCNC
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Engineering Skills through Problem Based Learning
Teaming with MCNC, and Project Lead the Way at Duke University, Miriam Morgan’s high school students at the Southern School of Engineering are collaborating on a project to create a model roller coaster, an excellent application for demonstrating concepts in physics and engineering. Her students will take on the role of engineers by remotely interacting with a design team at the North Carolina School of Science and Math, who will be working with them on the physics and design for the ride. With this project, students have the opportunity to build their own roller coaster and research the materials and mechanisms of roller coaster engineering. Designed using a hybrid style of project-based and problem-based learning, this highly collaborative project allows students to work in small teams to learn scientific concepts and apply them directly to a product.