An investigation of the preparation of science teachers to incorporate engineering design principles into their science curricula

Abstract

Incorporating engineering design principles into science curricula is part of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) with an intended purpose of moving science education forward to the 21st century. This study examined teacher preparation, attitudes, and level of knowledge about the engineering design process and how it can be incorporated into their science curricula. Teachers were surveyed for their perceptions of and experiences with engineering concepts. In general, science teachers need more professional development in order to meet the goal of properly incorporating engineering design into their science class(es) regardless of whether they live in a state that has adopted NGSS or not. Professional development that makes a difference is focused and on-going embedding engineering experiences with content very much in the same way that teachers are expected to teach their students. Professional, on-going and expert support proved to be a key element to the science teacher's development as an effective educator.