National Center for Engineering and Technology Education: The Overall Impact of the NCETE Is to Strengthen the Nation's Capacity to Deliver Effective Engineering and Technology Education in the K-12 Schools.

Background The National Science Foundation established the Centers for Learning and Teaching (CLT) program to address national needs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. NSF recognized two problems, the large number of educators expected to retire over the next decade, and the growing number of educators inadequately prepared to teach STEM courses. They also highlighted the growing number of doctoral-level professionals needed to educate the K-12 instructional workforce and to conduct research related to learning and teaching in STEM areas. Finally, as the K-12 student population becomes increasingly diverse, the K-12 instructional workforce has not reflected the diversity of the student population. Nor has the K-12 instructional workforce substantially increased its ability to provide appropriate instruction for diverse learners. The CLT program has three goals, based upon stated national needs. First, Centers are expected to renew and diversify the cadre of national leaders in STEM education. Second, Centers will increase significantly the number of highly qualified K-12 STEM educators. Third, Centers will conduct research on the nature of learning, teaching, educational policy reform, and outcomes of standards-based reform. To meet these goals CLTs must include four components: 1. A PhD program. 2. A teacher education component. 3. Linkages with K-12 schools. 4. A research program. The NSF 04-501 program solicitation focused on a number of national needs that represented gaps in the existing CLT portfolio. One identified gap was a Center focused on engineering and technology education, with a requirement that it guide the expansion of engineering and technology education in the schools. To achieve CLT program goals, Centers are typically funded at a level of $10 million over five years. National Center for Engineering and Technology Education In 2003, a team of faculty members from nine universities met to develop a proposal in response to the program solicitation, NSF 04-501, Centers for Learning and Teaching. The goal of this team was to develop a proposal for a Center that would link engineering and technology education faculty in a partnership to build capacity and benefit the profession. However, stereotypical attitudes held by many in both professions needed to be addressed. Greg Pearson (2004), a Program Officer with the National Academy of Engineering, candidly stated the prevailing stereotype, "Let's face it, engineering is filled with elitists, and technology education is for bluecollar academic washouts." In the same article, he recommended that "leaders and influential thinkers in both professions have to decide that the benefits of collaboration outweigh the risks." During the development of the proposal for the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE), investigators understood Pearson's message--the benefits of collaboration were well worth the risk. On September 15, 2004, NCETE received funding from the National Science Foundation as one of the 17 CLTs in the country. The ultimate goal of NCETE is to infuse engineering design, problem solving, and analytical skills into K-12 schools through technology education and to increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of engineering and technology educators. This will be accomplished by teaming engineering faculty and technology educators in a systematic approach that involves: 1. Building a community of researchers and leaders 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). …