Project Lead The Way teacher, Mr. Mark Lastova answers some questions about his freshman course Introduction to Engineering and Design (IED).

What should students always bring to class everyday? A pencil and your engineering notebook.

What will students like to learn in your class? Problem solving skills, like how to solve a problem and how to communicate that to other students.

What kind of work will students be doing? Students learn how to measure and convert. Then they learn projections (how to draw objects by hand). Eventually, student get onto the computers to use 3-D modeling software so that they can simulate and animate how the objects will interact with each other. Students also learn how to 3-D print objects and innovate. IED also has tests, open note quizzes.  The only homework is finishing what you didn’t finish in class, which is rare.

What is something that students look forward to in class? Mr. Lastova think it’s the projects students like, whether they are individual or with groups. It’s nice to have the every day practicalities where what you would learn in a science or math course meshes into what IED student do every day. IED teaches skills that students will be able to apply in future classes.

An interesting fact about Lastova: He is a master teacher for Project Lead The Way. He teaches other teachers so that they can teach the course. Project Lead The Way is an honors program, and students can receive college credit for taking the courses.

What’s your biggest pet peeve? Lastova says he doesn’t like when students forget to cap their 4’s (a drafting practice). He also doesn’t like when students don’t listen.