Through the Lens of History, a Free, Eye-opening Resource Sparks Interest and a Passion for STEM
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Presented By:
Kelly McKenna, IEEE REACH Sr. Program Manager
15th Annual Marvelous Education Alliance Symposium
7 – 9 October 2025
ieee.org
The professional home for the engineering and technology community worldwide
The professional home for the engineering and technology community worldwide
Introduction
IEEE - The world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
IEEE History Center – A team of historians and support professionals whose mission is to help preserve, research, and make known the history of technology. The historical material is mainly made available through two websites, the Engineering & Technology History Wiki (www.ethw.org) for the general public, and IEEE REACH (reach.ieee.org) dedicated to pre-university educators. We work across all engineering disciplines.
IEEE Foundation donor-funded program
IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Associate Program
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IEEE Humanitarian Technologies
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IEEE’s Tech for Social Impact Hub
A consortium of programs and initiatives - supported by a global network of volunteers and technical professionals - working together to apply technology to solve the world's most pressing problems.
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Marvelous Education
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What does it mean to be marvelous?
- to cause great wonder
Technology, the “t” in STEM, has caused great
wonder throughout time. (As has Science,
Engineering, and Math!)
For example, magnetism, as from a lodestone,
is a wonder observed by Socrates. Later, in circa
1040-44, the Chinese first reference lodestone to be
a magnetic direction-finding device.
This begins a historical narrative of the magnetic compass, a technology that is further developed and becomes a tool for navigating both land and sea....
Why is this important? Because the tools of early maritime navigation helped catapult Western Europe into being an eminent power. Impacting its economy and its society.
Historical narratives, provide an opportunity to show the wonder of STEM, in addition to its societal implications and relevance!
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History of Technology
i.e., why do we design, what social needs/problems are being addressed...in addition to the “when and where”
Curiosity is embedded in the desire to ask, “Why?”
A Unique STEM Education Pathway for all Students
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What is REACH?
https://reach.ieee.org/
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IEEE REACH: What’s Included
VIA:
Interdisciplinary resources, i.e., from TryEngineering, our sister STEM education program (https://tryengineering.org/) – Traditional
Standards Alignment: U.S.: NextGen Science & Social Studies Standards & Internationally: International Standards for Technology and Engineering Literacy as defined by the ITEEA
Can be easily aligned to individual country standards
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REACH Website (https://reach.ieee.org/)
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Inquiry Units on IEEE REACH website
Refrigerator Railcars
Skyscrapers
Triremes
Radio
Drones
Electronic Music
Printing Press
Electric Lighting
Tools of
Early Maritime Navigation
Information Theory
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Social Relevance of Technology & Secondary Education
Engineering Literate Student (According to American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
- an integrated learner
- recognizes and appreciates the influence of engineering on society and society on engineering
(in addition to the ability to enact design principles, and address technological issues with an understanding of engineering concepts)1
Technological Literacy (International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA))
“...a person who understands, in increasingly sophisticated ways that evolve over time, what technology is, how it is created, and how it shapes society, and in turn is shaped by society...”
1 ASEE, Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning: A Defined and Cohesive Educational Foundation for P-12 Education, 2020.
2 Blanchard, Sarah & Riegle-Crumb, Catherine. (2017). Perceptions of the Social Relevance of Science: Exploring the Implications for Gendered Patterns in Expectations of Majoring in STEM Fields. Social Sciences. 6. 19. 10.3390/socsci6010019.
While design applications and principles are essential, the social relevance of technology is part of the equation. Technology doesn’t live in a vacuum; it is interwoven with social and humanistic contexts.
Research has shown that when female students perceive science and technology as more socially relevant, they are significantly more likely to major in STEM.2
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Technological Literacy in Africa
African Governance Institute Article:
“The Impact of Technological Literacy on National Development in Africa”1
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1 African Governance Institute for Development, The Impact of Technological Literacy on National Development in Africa, By Daniekay / 29 January 2025
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Follow REACH On Social Media�
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REACH WEBSITE: reach.ieee.org
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Thank You for Your Time and Interest
Open for Questions
Kelly McKenna Email:
k.mckenna@ieee.org
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