Perceptions of District Curriculum Administrators Regarding K-12 Engineering Education

The state of Nebraska recently adopted and implemented a set of Science standards that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards which include engineering practices such as engineering design and the use of technology. Curriculum administrators throughout the state are responsible for the implementation of these standards including training for engineering teaching and learning. This exploratory study investigated curriculum administrators’ (n = 43) perceptions of Engineering Education in four areas: Importance of Engineering Education, District Familiarity with Engineering Education, Characteristics of Engineering, and Barriers to Integrating Engineering Education. This exploratory study used one instrument to collect data: a modified Design, Engineering, and Technology (DET) Survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings of this study revealed curriculum administrators express that the Science curriculum is an effective means to deliver engineering education and that engineering education content in pre-service teacher education programs and in-service teacher professional development to foster engineering education familiarity and best practices should be improved

Perceptions of School District Curriculum Administrators Regarding K-12 Engineering Education

The state of Nebraska recently adopted and implemented a set of Science standards that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards which include engineering practices such as engineering design and the use of technology. Curriculum administrators throughout the state are responsible for the implementation of these standards including training for engineering teaching and learning. This exploratory study investigated curriculum administrators’ (n = 43) perceptions of Engineering Education in four areas: Importance of Engineering Education, District Familiarity with Engineering Education, Characteristics of Engineering, and Barriers to Integrating Engineering Education. This exploratory study used one instrument to collect data: a modified Design, Engineering, and Technology (DET) Survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings of this study revealed curriculum administrators express that the Science curriculum is an effective means to deliver engineering education and that engineering education content in pre-service teacher education programs and in-service teacher professional development to foster engineering education familiarity and best practices should be improved

Engineering Education in Nebraska Schools

Engineering education in Nebraska schools would benefit state and national goals to educate and equip students with the critical thinking skills necessary to support, and advance, ever-growing technology-based careers. The major industries of any state rely on a knowledgeable and skilled workforce. Engineering education, as engineering itself, is the interdisciplinary use of science, mathematics, and technology. Engineering education can fully and effectively utilize the collaboration of industry and education for the purpose of developing productive citizens through a defined and supported set of standards for all students in Nebraska schools

Exploring Science and Engineering Practices in Children’s Picture Books

This article features an annotated bibliography of children’s books that illustrate engineering concepts tied to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Science and Engineering Practices for K-2 students (National Science Teaching Association -NSTA, n.d., see Appendix A) and NGSS K-2 Engineering Design performance expectations (NSTA, n.d., see Appendix B). The selected children’s books encourage discussion and model the process of inquiry and problem solving that may inspire young children to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) questions of their own

Examining Culturally Responsive Understandings within an Undergraduate Teacher Education Program

This article examines how a group of elementary and secondary preservice teachers engaged in understanding “culture” and culturally responsive teaching while enrolled in an early program course. We analyze how culturally-related experiences, emotions, and perspectives contribute to the overall understanding of cultural competency training in teacher education. Preservice teachers varied in their use of individual- and structural-orientations, in isolation and in combination, as they developed and progressed as socially just teachers. These findings reveal that despite attempts to develop and shift toward asset-based perspectives, far more culturally embedded coursework and practicum experiences are necessary. This paper includes a reflection on the effectiveness of posing meaningful, reflective questions for preservice teachers as they experienced the concept of “culture” based on their own funds of knowledge

Project HALON: Engaging Secondary Students in High-Altitude Balooning Experiments

Project HALON Overview •Fewer US STEM graduates •Shortage of STEM educators •Lack of engaging, high quality STEM material in the classroom •Potentially results in lower global economic competitiveness Experiment Constraints •Project brings together STEM major mentors and educators •Builds understanding of research and operational challenges •Students get excited about more complex experiments (CubeSATs) HALON: High Altitude Learning Over Nebraska •High altitude balloon lift platform •Student-designed experiments tailored to student team abilities •NASA-inspired near-space systems engineering process for tradeoffs •Engagement / mentoring for pre-service and in-service educator