IBED Model
The two key ideas involved in the IBED model are using open-ended problems that are solved using knowledge-based decision making. The template (shown below) gives teachers the freedom to choose any topic they are interested in teaching and guides them through the basic steps to develop an open-ended problem that can be solved using an engineering approach.
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How to use the IBED Template
The following is a detailed description for each IBED step in the template presented in the context of an example scenario to explain how to use the IBED approach
1) Content: What do the students need to understand (concepts)?
The goal of this step is to have teachers list the specific Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) they are interested in teaching via an engineering activity.
For example, suppose you are a 6th grade science teacher. You are interested in actively engaging your students about nonrenewable and renewable energy sources as well as energy transformations (Science SOL 6.2c,d,e). For Step 1 of the IBED Template, you would list the related SOLs and any related concepts you would like the students to learn. It is often helpful to refer to the curriculum framework provided for each SOL (links are provided below). For this example, your list might look like the following:
Differences between nonrenewable and renewable energy sources
Common nonrenewable and renewable energy sources (compare and contrast)
How are energy sources used to generate electricity in power plants (energy transformations)?
For example, suppose you are a 6th grade science teacher. You are interested in actively engaging your students about nonrenewable and renewable energy sources as well as energy transformations (Science SOL 6.2c,d,e). For Step 1 of the IBED Template, you would list the related SOLs and any related concepts you would like the students to learn. It is often helpful to refer to the curriculum framework provided for each SOL (links are provided below). For this example, your list might look like the following:
Differences between nonrenewable and renewable energy sources
Common nonrenewable and renewable energy sources (compare and contrast)
How are energy sources used to generate electricity in power plants (energy transformations)?
2) Significance: Why am I teaching this?
The goal of this step is to have teachers think about the importance of the concepts (listed in Step 1) and why students need to learn them. Teachers should think beyond the fact that the concepts are included in SOLs by considering why those concepts were selected to be included in the SOLs. Ideally, teachers should attempt to tie the concepts (from Step 1) to the real-world experienced by his/her students because it is important, from an understanding perspective, for the students to relate the concepts to their actual lives.
Using the same example as discussed in Step 1, it would be important for students to understand how different energy sources are used to generate electricity because different types of power plants could affect society and the environment in various ways. Have you (or your students) ever thought about why solar energy is not used more predominately in the United States? Are nuclear power plants really as dangerous as we think? How is coal actually used to generate electricity?
Using the same example as discussed in Step 1, it would be important for students to understand how different energy sources are used to generate electricity because different types of power plants could affect society and the environment in various ways. Have you (or your students) ever thought about why solar energy is not used more predominately in the United States? Are nuclear power plants really as dangerous as we think? How is coal actually used to generate electricity?
3) Identify an Open-Ended Problem Scenario
At this point, teachers should be ready to identify an open-ended problem that students can solve. This open-ended problem will be the basis for the engineering activity that the teacher is developing using the IBED model.
Using the example initially described in Step 1, you might describe an open-ended problem similar to the following:
Let us say that the fictional Hokie Town is interested in building a new power plant due to expected growth in power consumption. Suppose you (the student) are an engineer working for the area's power company. Hokie Town residents have asked you to recommend a power plant type and explain the reasoning behind the choice. You need to determine what type of power plant should be built by weighing simple economics with other relevant considerations.
Of course, on the first attempt at identifying an open-ended problem scenario, the result may not be as polished as the Hokie Town example above. Teachers should keep in mind, though, that there is no reason that he/she cannot revise any step in the IBED model at any point in time. Based on the developers' experiences, teachers' will want to review and revise as necessary at this point to ensure the activities align with the concepts listed in Step 1.
Using the example initially described in Step 1, you might describe an open-ended problem similar to the following:
Let us say that the fictional Hokie Town is interested in building a new power plant due to expected growth in power consumption. Suppose you (the student) are an engineer working for the area's power company. Hokie Town residents have asked you to recommend a power plant type and explain the reasoning behind the choice. You need to determine what type of power plant should be built by weighing simple economics with other relevant considerations.
Of course, on the first attempt at identifying an open-ended problem scenario, the result may not be as polished as the Hokie Town example above. Teachers should keep in mind, though, that there is no reason that he/she cannot revise any step in the IBED model at any point in time. Based on the developers' experiences, teachers' will want to review and revise as necessary at this point to ensure the activities align with the concepts listed in Step 1.
4) List the steps that students must undergo in order to solve the problem and transform these steps into procedures/directives for the lesson
The main goal of this step is to give teachers a guideline for
following the engineering design process for their students in solving the
open-ended problem that they have identified. As with any process, some
steps may have more emphasis than other steps depending on the nature of the
problem. This step of the IBED template is designed for teachers to
consider some of the major steps in the engineering design process while thinking
about the procedures for their activity. In other words, this is the step
where teachers really start to think about what students will actually do in
the activity. Additionally, every activity may not include every bullet
point nor will every activity necessarily follow the same order. However,
the authors' strongly recommend that teachers consider using every step, at least to some
extent, in order to structure the activity so that a reasonable semblance of the
engineering design process is followed. Individual steps can be iterated
and repeated as necessary, which is very typical of the process engineers
follow in solving problems. The key concept is to develop activities that
have a logical process to ensure multiple solutions are considered and solution
decisions are based on evaluation grounded in knowledge (math, science,
technology). A good resource for learning more about design and product development is Product Design and Development by Karl Ulrich and Steven Eppinger.
Identify/restate problem that is being asked: You want to make sure that the problem is clear to your students, so be sure to include a description of the problem in the activity. This is especially important if other teachers were to use your activity in their classrooms at a future point.
Identify what students need to know the solve the problem: Students must select a power plant type for Hokie Town and explain their choice, so they must be familiar with the function of different types of power plants as well as how the plants affect the environment and society.
A critical part of this bullet point is whether or not the information that students need to know to solve the problem aligns with the concepts listed in Step 1. If the goal is to teach students about renewable/nonrenewable energy (as stated in Step 1), then students must use this information to solve the problem, otherwise, they may miss it.
With that in mind, you may want to include a categorization step in the activity that would have students identify which power plant types use nonrenewable sources and which use renewable sources.
Brainstorm multiple solutions with content (Step 1) based reasoning: Remember, the goal of the activity is to teach the concepts listed in Step 1, so, whenever possible, students should use content-based reasoning to develop their solutions.
Students should investigate the different types of power plants before making their decision.
Develop concept selection technique: The key here is that students should have a way to make an educated decision. In other words, how are students going to make their decision about which power plant should be built for Hokie Town? Is their decision going to based on cost? Jobs created? Potential environmental risk? Due to the nature of the power plant activity, students will have to evaluate multiple factors before making a decision.
One tool engineers use to select a design is a decision matrix. The IBED developers created a simplified decision matrix that could be used in a middle school classroom by students (link below).
Identify/restate problem that is being asked: You want to make sure that the problem is clear to your students, so be sure to include a description of the problem in the activity. This is especially important if other teachers were to use your activity in their classrooms at a future point.
Identify what students need to know the solve the problem: Students must select a power plant type for Hokie Town and explain their choice, so they must be familiar with the function of different types of power plants as well as how the plants affect the environment and society.
A critical part of this bullet point is whether or not the information that students need to know to solve the problem aligns with the concepts listed in Step 1. If the goal is to teach students about renewable/nonrenewable energy (as stated in Step 1), then students must use this information to solve the problem, otherwise, they may miss it.
With that in mind, you may want to include a categorization step in the activity that would have students identify which power plant types use nonrenewable sources and which use renewable sources.
Brainstorm multiple solutions with content (Step 1) based reasoning: Remember, the goal of the activity is to teach the concepts listed in Step 1, so, whenever possible, students should use content-based reasoning to develop their solutions.
Students should investigate the different types of power plants before making their decision.
Develop concept selection technique: The key here is that students should have a way to make an educated decision. In other words, how are students going to make their decision about which power plant should be built for Hokie Town? Is their decision going to based on cost? Jobs created? Potential environmental risk? Due to the nature of the power plant activity, students will have to evaluate multiple factors before making a decision.
One tool engineers use to select a design is a decision matrix. The IBED developers created a simplified decision matrix that could be used in a middle school classroom by students (link below).
Prototype/test or model if necessary to obtain more information and explain testing method in terms of desired concepts (Step 1): For many design activities, students will need to prototype and test designs in order to make a decision about the best design.
In the power plant activity, students will probably not have an opportunity to prototype/test or model the power plants, but they may need to do research regarding the different types of power plants. Let's say that students want to consider the number of permanent jobs a particular plant will create for Hokie Town. They may need to do research on the Internet to determine this.
Select the most viable solution: For activities that involve students considering multiple solutions, they will need to eventually make a selection. Students should have an organized method to make the selection. Some activities could have students use a simplified decision matrix to help them determine the best solution (see link below "Develop concept selection technique" section).
Justify the selection (including possibility of new testing for demonstration of selection). The decision or justification must be based on desired concepts (Step 1): For many activities, it is important that students justify their selection by explaining the selection technique. It is important that the justification be based on the desired teaching concepts listed in Step 1 to help ensure students are learning what the teachers intended to teach.
In the power plant activity, students will probably not have an opportunity to prototype/test or model the power plants, but they may need to do research regarding the different types of power plants. Let's say that students want to consider the number of permanent jobs a particular plant will create for Hokie Town. They may need to do research on the Internet to determine this.
Select the most viable solution: For activities that involve students considering multiple solutions, they will need to eventually make a selection. Students should have an organized method to make the selection. Some activities could have students use a simplified decision matrix to help them determine the best solution (see link below "Develop concept selection technique" section).
Justify the selection (including possibility of new testing for demonstration of selection). The decision or justification must be based on desired concepts (Step 1): For many activities, it is important that students justify their selection by explaining the selection technique. It is important that the justification be based on the desired teaching concepts listed in Step 1 to help ensure students are learning what the teachers intended to teach.
5) Evaluation/Assessment: Identify how you will assess student understanding
Teachers must identify how they plan to evaluate/assess their students' learning. One of the easiest ways to do this would be to have students fill out an activity sheet as they worked through the lesson. The activity sheet could help focus their attention on the key concepts and could ask questions related to the concepts from Step 1. In other words, are the students really learning what you (as the teacher) intended?
It is important that teachers do not simply "tack on" content questions in their activity. The questions and content should be embedded into the activity and understanding should, whenever possible, be critical to solving the problem. In the activity, students need to see why they need to know particular concepts.
It is important that teachers do not simply "tack on" content questions in their activity. The questions and content should be embedded into the activity and understanding should, whenever possible, be critical to solving the problem. In the activity, students need to see why they need to know particular concepts.
Power Plant Activity Links
A copy of the power plant activity that was developed using the IBED model (as discussed above) can be found in the links below.
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