Reports to NSF

Year One Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

Naida Tushnet et al. — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:47 PST

The ultimate goal of NCETE is to infuse engineering design, problem solving and analytical skills into 9-12 grades through technology education in order to increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of engineering and technology educators, and to significantly strengthen the pathways to engineering and technology professions for students. The Center is doing this by teaming engineering faculty and technology education faculty in a systematic approach that involves: 1. Building a community of researchers, leaders, and PhD students to conduct research in emerging engineering and technology education areas. 2. Creating a body of research that improves our understanding of learning and teaching engineering and technology subjects. 3. Preparing technology education teachers at the BS and MS level who can infuse engineering design into the curriculum (current and future teachers). 4. Strengthening the pathways for a diverse population of students who select engineering, science, mathematics, and technology careers. NCETE divided tasks into four components: 1) the Graduate Program Component, 2) the Technology Teacher Education Component, 3) the Research Component, and 4) the Recruiting and Retention Component. Described below are the major research and education activities within each component.

Year Two Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

Naida Tushnet et al. — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:46 PST

A major challenge in the work of the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education has been the need to strengthen the research climate across the institutional settings. A number of activities have been directed at that effort: internal funding of small student and faculty research projects; presentations by researchers at Center meetings; providing a research focus for the required core courses in cognitive science, design, problem solving, and creativity; and the evolution of the research framework for the Center. The internal research program has been successful in providing relatively non-threatening experiences with proposal preparation, review, negotiation, and the conduct of small research projects. Six proposals were funded for exploratory research projects in 2005-2006. As these projects are completed, the researchers have shared their findings with their Center colleagues and at professional conferences. The Research Committee has completed its review of the second internal competition and the successful proposals are being negotiated as this report is being prepared in early June 2006. The internal research program has provided opportunities for students and faculty to develop their research capabilities to investigate new areas. The program has also helped to introduce a collaborative, research-focused interchange among the Center faculty as they establish and monitor the program.

Year Three Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

NCETE Faculty — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:44 PST

The Center continues to strengthen the research climate across the institutional settings. A number of activities have been directed at this effort: internal funding of small student and faculty research projects; development of an internal funding process for doctoral student research; and presentations by researchers at Center meetings and professional conferences. The internal research program has been successful in providing relatively non-threatening experiences with proposal preparation, review, negotiation, and the conduct of small research projects. Six proposals were funded for exploratory research projects in 2005-06 and five projects were funded in 2006-07. As these projects are completed, findings are shared with their Center colleagues and at professional conferences.

Year Four Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

NCETE Faculty — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:43 PST

The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education is a collaborative network of scholars with backgrounds in technology education, engineering, and related fields. Our mission is to build capacity in technology education and to improve the understanding of the learning and teaching of high school students and teachers as they apply engineering design processes to technological problems.

Year Five Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

NCETE Faculty — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:42 PST

The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) received funding from the National Science Foundation on September 15, 2004. Originally NCETE proposed the following goals for the Center: • To build capacity in graduate education and develop a new cadre of leaders who are engaged in research, teacher preparation, and professional development with the knowledge and skill to integrate engineering into technology education • To conduct research in how students learn engineering and technological concepts; how students learn design and problem solving, assessment and evaluation strategies; and how best to prepare technology teachers • To refocus technology teacher education (TTE) to prepare increasing numbers of new teachers, representing the diversity of the nation, who can infuse engineering principles, predictive analytical methods, and design into the K-12 schools • To design and deliver professional development for practicing K-12 teachers and TTE faculty to enhance their knowledge and skills so they can infuse engineering principles, predictive analytical methods, and design into the curriculum, thereby enhancing problem solving abilities in students. • To develop methods for encouraging a diverse array of K-12 students to choose science, technology engineering and mathematics careers.

Year Six Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

NCETE Faculty — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:41 PST

Year Seven Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

NCETE Faculty — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:39 PST

The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) is a collaborative network of scholars with backgrounds in technology education, engineering, and related fields. Our mission is to build capacity in technology education and to improve the understanding of the learning and teaching of high school students and teachers as they apply engineering design processes to technological problems. This year’s accomplishments include: completion of doctoral dissertations and post-doctoral research; continuation of research program; exploration of a strategic alliance of engineering and technology education groups in major doctoral-degree-granting universities; development of a caucus on high school engineering design challenges; and ongoing dissemination efforts.

Year Eight Annual Report: Activities, Findings and Evaluators' Reports

NCETE Faculty et al. — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:38 PST

The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) is a collaborative network of scholars with backgrounds in technology education, engineering, and related fields. Our mission is to build capacity in technology education and to improve the understanding of the learning and teaching of high school students and teachers as they apply engineering design processes to technological problems. NCETE was granted a no-cost extension for an eighth year of work. Significant activities were focused in three areas: building research capacity within the engineering and technology education field; building on current research programs; and communicating and disseminating NCETE works and findings.

Final Report: Accomplishments and Findings

NCETE Faculty — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:47:37 PST

The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) was funded on August 15, 2004 under the auspices of the Centers for Learning and Teaching (CLT) program in the Division of Elementary, Secondary and Informal Education. The Program Solicitation (NSF 04-501) provided the following synopsis of the program: The Centers for Learning and Teaching program focuses on the advanced preparation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)educators as well as the establishment of meaningful partnerships with education stakeholders, especially PhD-granting institutions, school systems, and informal education performances. Its goal is to renew and diversify the care of leaders in STEM education; to increase the number of K-16 educators capable of delivering high-quality STEM instruction and assessment; and to conduct research into STEM education issues of national import.