| NCETE
Research Studies Funded in Year 2
May 2006 |
| Title: |
African American High School Students Perceptions of Engineering and Technology Education |
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| PIs: |
Zanj Avery, Utah State University
Cameron Denson, University of Georgia |
| Abstract: |
The adoption of design-based engineering approaches into technology education may prove to offer
some solutions to involving more African Americans into engineering and technology-related fields.
This approach may help to close the achievement gap between black and white students especially in
math and science subjects. There is little empirical research that looks at the role of technology
education with an engineering design focus, in the diversification of education and the impacts this shift
in educational paradigm will have on African Americans socially, economically, and educationally.
According to Jencks and Phillips (1998) there are many challenges in raising the expectations and
closing the achievement gap for minority students. Using technology education and engineering as a
vehicle to bridge this gap may offer plausible solutions. In addressing issues of achievement disparity
within our educational systems Carter (2005) outlined key challenges we face today;a) seemingly
undiversified teachers and educators teaching on an increasingly diversified student base; b) a pedagogy
and teaching method that is culturally unresponsive; and c) unwillingness to present abstract
mathematical and science concepts in a more practical manner.
To address these challenges teachers at the secondary and post-secondary level educators will need to
make significant changes in how and what they teach. There will need to be a general shift from the
approaches currently used to teach science,math, teacher preparation, and professional development will
need to reflect these changes. Support programs that provide technology and student support resources
will also be needed. Students who are economically or otherwise disadvantaged will need opportunities
to expand the knowledge base on which new math and science learning is derived (National Center for
Education Statistics, 2001).
Prior to modifying curriculums and implementing development workshops it is imperative to
look at the general realities of these achievement gaps and understand where our school systems are
failing our children. In seeking to provide solutions to these varying problems it may be in our best
interest to discover more about the source of these problems. This project will lay the basis on which to
build future research that might identify solutions. Results of this study will offer alternative solutions as it pertains to the design of curriculum
materials that deliver math and science concepts and principles using engineering and technology
education as an organizer Based on the findings probed from the study, future research will be
conducted resulting in possible dissertations topics and future RFPs. It is the goal of the fellows to
utilize the findings of the study in an effort to develop a conceptual framework from which further
research can be conducted .
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| Title: |
Delivering Core Engineering Concepts to Secondary Level Students |
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| PIs: |
Rodney L. Custer, and Chris Merrill
Illinois State University |
| Abstract: |
One key goal of the Technology Teacher Education component of the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education is to impact the focus and content of the field at the secondary level. More specifically, the goal is to facilitate students' learning relative to core engineering principles, concepts, and ideas. A number of activities have been developed to facilitate these goals, including a series of teacher professional development experiences, research designed to identify core engineering concepts, Design Challenge development, engagement with faculty from the STEM disciplines, and involvement of technology education pre-service teachers. The purpose of this study will be to assess the impact of a set of carefully designed classroom interventions on student learning. These interventions will be based on a carefully selected set of engineering concepts and will be delivered using pedagogical content knowledge and best practices from engineering and technology education. Through the project, a cohort of practicing and pre-service technology teachers will design and develop a 20-day unit of instruction to deliver three core engineering concepts to secondary level technology
education students. These core engineering concepts are predictive design, constraints, and optimization.
Prior to the development of the unit, all cohort teachers will have participated in professional
development specifically focused on developing an in-depth understanding of the three concepts. This
instruction is currently occurring as a key component of Illinois State University's NCETE TTE spring
professional development workshops.
Using a quasi-experimental, pre-test post-test design, the project will design and implement assessment
procedures to explore the extent to which students understand the core engineering concepts. The study
will consist of three phases including (a) designing the unit of instruction to deliver the core engineering
concepts; (b) delivering the unit of instruction to secondary level students (grades 10-12); and (c)
refining the unit for a second round of delivery and assessment.
The unit will be designed during the NCETE TTE professional development workshop at Illinois State
University and will involve technology education teachers from cohorts 1 and 2. In addition to
technology teachers, the process will also involve selected teachers from mathematics and science,
engineering, and doctoral fellows from the University of Illinois. Participating schools will consist of
those at which the cohort teachers are employed. Students from intact classes will be invited to
participate in the study. In phase 3 of the study, data collection will be expanded to include teachers and students from the 3rd year TTE professional development cohort.
Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to analyze the data. The primary focus of the analysis
will be to assess the extent to which students' understanding of the three engineering concepts changes
with instruction. These data will be collected using validated, parallel-form instruments (to minimize the
treatmel1teffect of the assessment process). Data analysis will also explore the relationship of prior
mathematics and physical science instruction to engineering concept knowledge and performance gain. The findings will be disseminated through professional journals in engineering and technology education as well as through presentations at professional meetings.
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| Title: |
Identifying the Essential Aspects and Related Academic Concepts of an Engineering Design Curriculum in Secondary Technology Education |
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| PIs: |
Cameron Smith and Robert Wicklein
University of Georgia |
| Abstract: |
Recent developments in the field of technology education have resulted in efforts being made to
understand the most effective methods available for implementing a curriculum that includes
engineering content. In laying a foundation for this type of curriculum, it is necessary to firmly grasp the
scope and nature of the engineering design process along with related subject matter from academic
disciplines such as math and science. Technology education professionals have indicated their support
for the inclusion of engineering content but also a need to more fully comprehend the academic skills
necessary in order to do this. This study seeks to address that need for the field by eliciting the opinions
of a diverse group of engineering professionals. The Delphi method will be used in order to allow their
expertise to coalesce into a coherent response to four finely tuned research questions that serve as a
starting point in creating a framework in which to understand how the engineering design process can be
adequately explained and utilized in technology education classrooms to help students achieve
technological literacy.
The four research questions are as follows:
1. What aspects of the engineering design process best equip secondary students to understand, manage,
and solve technological problems?
2. What mathematics concepts related to engineering design should secondary students use to
understand, manage and solve technological problems?
3. What specific science principles related to engineering design should secondary students use to
understand, manage and solve technological problems?
4. What specific skills, techniques, and engineering tools related to engineering design should secondary
students use to understand, manage and solve technological problems?
Participants in the study will be identified by a panel of experts in the field of engineering design. The
selection of individual participants will be based on the frequency of being identified by members of the
panel. This study will consist of four rounds. Each round will be conducted via the Internet to make the entire
study as efficient as possible. Round one will consist of the four research questions -participants will be
asked to create a bulleted list of 5-7 responses they consider absolutely vital to each question. This list
will be analyzed and all unique responses will be included in round two. In the second round,
participants will have the opportunity to rate all responses from round one on a six point Likert scale.
They will also have the opportunity to add additional items if they choose. During round three,
participants are given the results from round two and are able to see how their responses compared to
those of the others in the group. Those whose answers on any individual question are two standard
deviations outside the group mean will have the opportunity to provide written explanation to the group
of why they answered as the did. Moving on to round four, participants will be able to view all data from
the first three rounds (including all written explanation) and will be asked to make their final selections.
The data will be analyzed for consensus (interquartile range < 1), and for stability. Stability will be
considered to have been achieved if the mean for any item does not shift by more than 15% between
round three and round four.
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