Hard and Soft Engineering Skills in Designing an Energy Systems’ Functioning Module for 1st Graders

Given the importance of both hard and soft skills in the range of engineering skills, this study concerns the design of a teaching module for 1^st graders about the energy systems’ functioning. The research question is “When teaching the concept of energy as an engineering subject in elementary school, what are (a) the conceptual and methodological content, and (b) the pedagogical context?”? To answer this question, the study follows an engineering pedagogy framework. Based on this analysis, we propose a teaching module for 1st graders, applied in a pilot phase. This phase is used to assess the feasibility of implementation of the teaching module in real classroom setting.

Introduction

In recent years, integrating both hard and soft engineering skills into primary school curricula has gained momentum as educators and policymakers recognize the importance of fostering a well-rounded skill set from an early age. Hard engineering skills, such as basic programming, mathematical problem-solving, and understanding physical sciences, provide young learners with foundational technical abilities, preparing them for increasingly technology-driven academic and career paths. Equally important are soft engineering skills—such as cooperation (teamwork), problem-solving (creativity, critical thinking), and communication—which enhance students’ adaptability and collaborative capacities, essential for engineering contexts.

In this context, the research question posed and investigated was: “When teaching the concept of energy as an engineering subject in elementary school, what are (a) the conceptual and methodological content, and (b) the pedagogical framework?”.

We believe that teaching energy from an engineering perspective—rather than solely from a scientific one, as is commonly done—in primary education represents both an opportunity and a challenge. It offers a genuine interdisciplinary approach within STEM education. This authenticity is evident in the epistemological analysis of the concept of energy, as energy is a systemic concept that exists within systems, especially technological systems designed, controlled, and improved by engineers. Integrating scientific and engineering approaches to teach energy issues highlights and leverages the common elements to both fields.

To address the research question, we applied Engineering Pedagogy theory (Kersten, 2018; Rüütmann, 2023), which provides a framework for designing instructional units for teaching engineering topics. However, since engineering is a relatively new subject area in primary education, it was deemed necessary to explore whether research-based arguments support focusing on students’ engineering education. These arguments are presented in the first section.

The second section presents key points regarding how energy is traditionally taught as a science subject in elementary education. The following section delves into an epistemological analysis of the content and methodology for teaching the functioning of energy systems from an engineering perspective. The final section provides a detailed description of the proposed module, including its content, methodology, and pedagogical framework.

The Research Derived Arguments for Focusing on Engineering Education

As engineering, in contrast to science, has been integrated relatively recently into primary education curricula, a key question for designing instructional units naturally arises: Are there research-based arguments supporting the teaching of engineering to early agers?

Recent research studies offer strong arguments supporting the feasibility of achieving this. Indeed, there is literature focused on the instructional viability of early engineering education. For example, the extensive studies by Lippardet al. (2017) and Lippardet al. (2019) provide valuable insights. Regarding the issue of psychological compatibility, Purzer and Douglas (2020) highlighted that children are creative and capable of engaging with early engineering concepts when provided with real opportunities for design. Additionally, a range of other important considerations regarding early engineering education are extensively discussed in the book by English and Moore (2020), titled Early Engineering Learning.

Teaching Energy in Elementary Education as a Science Subject

Due to strong social interest (e.g., reduction of energy resources, greenhouse effect, etc.), the concept of energy is included in curricula even at the preschool education. Energy, as an interdisciplinary and cross-cutting (NRC, 2012; Wendell, 2014) and abstract concept, is one of the most challenging topics to teach at various educational levels (Golding & Osborne, 1994; Petrus & Raphoto, 2014).

However, research shows that students from very young ages develop pre-energy concepts by studying small and simple energy systems. By “energy systems,” we refer to technological systems consisting of distinct parts that are connected and interact to achieve an outcome, such as lighting a small bulb with a battery or a photovoltaic cell. Building pre-energy concepts is not spontaneous; it requires children’s participation in appropriately designed instructional units. Koliopouloset al. (2009) report relevant findings for preschool students, and Koliopoulos and Argyropoulou (2011) for first-grade students. There is also research indicating that sixth-grade students can develop energy concepts related to the functioning of large-scale and complex electricity generation systems (Sissamperi & Koliopoulos, 2021).

The Content and the Methodology of Teaching Energy Systems’ Functioning from the Engineering Perspective

In terms of teaching content, the scientific field that provides the conceptual foundation for understanding energy system operations is engineering thermodynamics (Hassel, 2009), specifically the first and second laws (Baehr, 1984). Renewable Energy Systems, such as photovoltaics and wind turbines, are a specific type of thermodynamic system in energy technology.

Regarding methodology, the literature review indicates that the term Engineering Design describes the stages for solving a problem as applied by engineers (Blank & Lynch, 2018). Additionally, Engineering Design Skills refer to the competencies that professional engineers should develop. These skills fall into two main categories: analytical skills and non-technical skills. According to Mourtos (2012), analytical skills encompass fundamental knowledge from mathematics, physics, and engineering sciences, while non-technical skills, equally essential for engineers, include soft skills—especially open problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. These three soft skills are listed in order of importance for engineers and are supported by research by de Camposet al. (2020), who argue that the importance of soft skills even surpasses that of technical skills. Similarly, Kamaruzamanet al. (2019) found that these skills are particularly crucial for professionals in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Research has also highlighted a soft skills gap among engineers, emphasizing the need for changes in engineering pedagogy to bridge this gap (Krishnaet al., 2024).

We consider that engineering can play a pivotal role in creating appropriate learning environments for teaching energy systems. This can be achieved, for example, when students are assigned with solving a problem that challenges them to study an energy system through three dimensions: the phenomenological (external characteristics of the system), technological (components of the system and their connections and interactions), and scientific (explanation of the system’s operation and observed phenomena) (Sissamperi & Koliopoulos, 2015).

The challenge in teaching energy as a knowledge domain of engineering partly arises from the broad reach of STEM education, which promotes the integration of four scientific fields. To address this challenge, we accept the view that engineering can serve as the integrative factor among these disciplines (Fanet al., 2020; Kelley & Knowles, 2016; Simarro & Couso, 2021). Furthermore, we consider that energy-related topics are particularly suitable for the STEM education (Ortiz-Revillaet al., 2020).

Teaching energy as an engineering subject is seen as a relatively new and dynamic instructional approach, grounded in the framework established when the National Research Council (NRC, 2012) in the United States published A Framework for K-12 Science Education. This framework highlighted the importance of integrated teaching of science and technology across various topics, especially energy.

Following this framework, Wendell (2014), a researcher with extensive experience, made an intriguing proposal for teaching energy in primary education, identifying three core goals that correspond to acquire knowledge of the three fundamental properties of energy: storage, transfer, and transformation.

The Proposed Module

The proposed module (Table I) consists of a series of five activities. The first activity serves as an introduction, establishing the pedagogical context. This is achieved through the reading of a fable, as fairy tales can play a significant role by helping students engage with and understand scientific concepts (Kotsis & Tsiouri, 2023; Tanket al., 2018a). Thus, the entire module is structured around a fable. From this fable, a problem scenario arises, and at the end, students are invited to modify the fable themselves. For this modification, students will need to apply the solutions to the problem scenario, that is, the knowledge they have constructed.

Table I. The Module’s Activities, Aims, and Their Engineering Connection

	Activities	Aims	Engineering connection (Engineering design & soft skills)
1	Reading fairy tail	Creating interest in the topic	Problem identification
		Orientation towards the subject
		Establishing a framework for inquiry
2	1st problem	Connecting materials/Building a system	Communication
		Problem-solving: lighting the bulb with a photovoltaic panel	Cooperation
			Problem-solving
3	2nd problem	Connecting materials/Building a system	Communication
		Problem-solving: lighting the bulb with a wind turbine	Cooperation
			Problem-solving
4	Conclusions	Sharing and communicating problem solving solutions	Knowledge dissemination
5	Fairy tale’s modification based on the conclusions	Utilizing empirical knowledge about the operation of energy systems within a meaningful context	Knowledge integration

Regarding the conceptual content, specifically the functioning of energy systems, activities 2 and 3 are essential. In these activities, students use materials to construct a functional energy system. Their involvement in these activities allows them to work with the design and function of small energy system models, following the stages of engineering problem-solving.

Regarding the methodological content, students have to act as engineers, namely to follow the engineering design process and soft skills.

The module can begin with reading a Greek fable by Aesop, a famous ancient Greek story teller, titled “The Sun and the North Wind.” This story introduces a problem scenario that can lead to discussions on the functioning of photovoltaic systems and wind turbines. According to the fairy tale, in ancient times, the sun and the north wind competed to see who was stronger. They agreed that whoever could make a man walking in the countryside remove his clothes would be declared the winner. The sun won the contest by using its warm rays to make the man take off his layers one by one, unable to withstand the heat. In contrast, the north wind, by blowing harder, only caused the man to put on more clothes to shield himself from the cold.

The problem that can be posed to students after reading the fable is as follows: If the sun and the north wind were to compete in a different challenge, such as who could light up a bulb, who would win—the sun or the north wind?

At this stage, students are introduced to the materials needed to construct and function the two systems, leading to activities 2 and 3. In activity 2, students work in groups to address the question: How can the bulb be lit using a photovoltaic cell? Similarly, in activity 3, the problem is posed as follows: How can the bulb be lit using a wind turbine? For these activities, the necessary materials (Fig. 1) are required.

Fig. 1. Materials in the box: Photovoltaic cell, wind turbine, bulb, cables.

In activity 4, student groups present the systems they have constructed and are invited to draw conclusions. Through the activities, students discover that both the sun and the north wind can light up the bulb. The sun provides light to the photovoltaic cell, which converts it into electricity, thereby lighting up the bulb, while the north wind drives the wind turbine, which generates electricity, also lighting up the bulb.

In the final activity, student groups are asked to modify the original fairy tale using the knowledge and experience they gained from the previous activities. The desired outcome of the modified fable is for both the sun and the north wind to emerge as winners, as they both can light up the bulb.

Conclusion

In the study, the conceptual, methodological, and pedagogical content of a module on the operation of energy systems within a first-grade engineering curriculum was presented and documented. The module was taught in a pilot phase, and its instructional feasibility was confirmed. The children who participated in the pilot followed the stages of engineering and applied the soft skills deemed essential for professional engineers. Analyzing the data, we observed behaviors similar to those reported by Murcia and Oblak (2022). The children shared their ideas, engaged in investigations as a group, and ultimately succeeded in following the stages of engineering design to solve the problem, showing that even younger children can accomplish this (Convertini, 2020; Tanket al., 2018b). Dialogues reveal the dynamics present in teamwork and the complex process of argumentation, highlighting what children can achieve when engaged in an engineering or science problem (Convertini, 2021).

It is also encouraging that, despite the sample group having no prior experience with material objects or models of energy systems, they managed to connect the concepts and ultimately solve the engineering problem while simultaneously applying soft skills such as communication, cooperation, and problem-solving.

However, the assessment of this specific teaching approach remains an open issue. The assessment process is ongoing to identify oversights and implement any necessary improvements, with the ultimate goal of proposing its integration into the curriculum for first-grade primary school.

In today’s context, rethinking early education curricula to actively prepare students for an uncertain and evolving future is a challenge, where high employability, creativity, and problem-solving skills are linked to specific content knowledge. Fostering the development of soft skills in engineering education is viewed as a means of enhancing the benefits of hard skills (Awuoret al., 2022; Geroet al., 2022). Engineers need to become reflective decision-makers and develop listening and communication skills to achieve effective teamwork (Barakat & Shekh-Abed, 2023). This requires an understanding of how these competencies manifest in the professional world and how they can be effectively cultivated. Equally important is the need to develop these competencies for teachers, students, and all others involved in early childhood education (Pitsou & Lambropoulos, 2020).