Engineering Implementation In Grades 6 12: Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of A Workshop Model

In order to assist math, science, and technology education teachers learn engineering design based content they can use in their classrooms, the Pre-College Engineering for Teachers (PCET) program [1] was developed to provide teachers with professional development training. Through this program, teachers can participate as Mentor teachers who attend a two week workshop called Tufts Engineering Mentor Institute (TEMI), or they can participate in the Satellite programs developed and run by the Mentor teachers the following year. After the introductory workshops, these cohorts of teachers return to their classrooms and implement engineering design projects with their students. One of four participating universities provides faculty and graduate student support to the Mentor teachers throughout the school year. These teachers then provide similar assistance to the participants of the satellite workshop. Thus far, the program has been completed at the high school level, and is in progress at the middle school level. This paper provides a review of the effectiveness of this workshop model at these first two levels.