Secondary Education and Teaching Commons^™

Anticipating Change: An Exploratory Analysis Of Teachers’ Conceptions Of Engineering In An Era Of Science Education Reform, Tesha Sengupta-Irving, Janet Mercado

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

While integrating engineering into science education is not new in the United States, technology and engineering have not been well emphasized in the preparation and professional development of science teachers. Recent science education reforms integrate science and engineering throughout K–12 education, making it imperative to explore the conceptions teachers hold of engineering as a discipline, and as an approach to teaching. This analysis draws on focus group interviews with practicing secondary teachers (n = 12) conducted during a professional development seminar. The goals of the seminar were to present engineering as a heterogeneity of practices and inquiries organized to …