Secondary level engineering professional development: content, pedagogy, and challenges

Abstract

The design of this study was a multiple case study conducted to examine the knowledge, pedagogical principles, and challenges involved in providing engineeringoriented professional development for teachers at the secondary school level. A set of criteria was used to identify five representative projects for analysis in the US. A variety of tools and processes were used to gather data including on-site observations, interviews, focus groups and document reviews. Results of the study indicate that engineering professional development tends to be based on work focused on curriculum development and implementation. Given the distinct design orientation of engineering, it is not surprising that the focus of engineering-oriented professional development tends to concentrate on engaging activities, with a primary focus on process rather than content. A key outcome of this study was an observed lack of a clearly formulated and articulated conceptual foundation for secondary level engineering. Regarding pedagogy, the researchers identified a heavy emphasis on modeling and applied learning. At the same time, the researchers observed a lack of emphasis on reflection and analysis of the pedagogical processes and techniques used to shape teachers' ability to teach engineering to their students. The findings of the study also include concerns raised by teachers as they engage in engineering professional development. These include concerns about technical knowledge, particularly with the use of specialized software applications and other tools, as well as with practical issues such as time, resources, and availability of appropriate curriculum.

Anticipating Change: An Exploratory Analysis of Teachers’ Conceptions of Engineering in an Era of Science Education Reform

“…While engineering increasingly populates state education frameworks in the U.S. (Moye, Dugger, & Starkweather, 2012) and now features prominently in NGSS, research on pre-college engineering professional development is still emerging (Daugherty & Custer, 2012;Wang, Moore, Roehrig, & Park, 2011) and these findings, however exploratory, contribute to that dialogue. Borrowing from one of our participants, if we understand teachers as on the forefront of cultivating the ''new generation science engineers,'' and NGSS as guiding that cultivation, then we must take seriously what conceptions teachers have of engineering, and what conceptions they emerge with and carry into their classrooms.…”

Educational Complexity and Professional Development: Teachers’ Need for Metacognitive Awareness

“…Coders indicated based on the coding rubric that participants typically ranged from medium to low levels of cognitive knowledge. The literature, especially in technology and engineering related PD, has discussed the importance of content and pedagogical knowledge in PD (Bybee & Loucks-Horsley, 2000;Daugherty & Custer, 2012;Mundry, 2007;WestEd, 2000). Content and pedagogical knowledge are often considered foundational characteristics of effective PD (Ball, Thames, & Phelps, 2008;Bybee & Loucks-Horsley, 2000;Mundry, 2007).…”

Data‐based conjectures for supporting responsive teaching in engineering design with elementary teachers

“…In case studies of secondary‐level engineering PD programs, researchers found that most were designed to familiarize teachers with the engineering design process, tools, and curricula, with little attention to pedagogy (Custer & Daugherty, ; Daugherty & Custer, ). Similarly, the framework put forth by Reimers et al.…”

“…There has been little attention so far to teacher preparation in engineering education (National Academy of Engineering & National Research Council, ). Most professional development (PD) efforts have focused on increasing teachers’ own familiarity with and understanding of engineering design (Custer & Daugherty, ; Daugherty, and Custer, ; Reimers, Farmer, & Klein‐Gardner, ), typically in association with particular curricula (Capobianco & Rupp, ; Custer & Daugherty, ). There is, however, little research on what teachers need to learn about teaching engineering, or on how they might learn it.…”