Best practices for integrated STEM courses work well when teachers are adept at implementing them and when students are in a learning environment where they can communicate and collaborate while simultaneously working with and investigating manipulatives with their hands. When the COVID-19 Pandemic forced many K-12 schools to close in March of…

Although designed for informal educational structures and non-formal providers, the AeroEducate initiative offers youth in a variety of settings an initial exposure to the world of aviation and aeronautics. Real-world and context-based experiences spark learners' interests and may help them discover a personal and/or professional passion for the…

The International Technology and Engineering Educators Association's (ITEEA's) "Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy" ("STEL") describes design thinking as an approach that allows students and educators to integrate other content areas by considering relevant contextual information to guide design and making…

Both those inside and outside of the education community are becoming increasingly familiar with the STEM acronym and the extensive efforts underway nationally to develop integrated PK-12 STEM programs that promote critical thinking, problem solving, 21st Century skill development and authentic learning experiences (Ingram, 2019). However, for…

For many years, the trend in technology and engineering education has moved toward computer-oriented technologies such as robotics, programming, and computer-aided design (CAD). The concepts of automation and artificial intelligence were introduced more than six decades ago and became pervasive in daily life through actively using them in various…

This is the nineteenth in a series of articles entitled "The Legacy Project." The Legacy Project focuses on the lives and actions of leaders who have forged the technology and engineering teaching profession into what it is today. Members of the profession owe a debt of gratitude to these leaders. One simple way to demonstrate that…

In this quickly evolving digital world, the technology and education (T&E) education classroom can provide valuable instruction that creates a well-informed online citizenry through digital understanding and citizenship curriculum. For twenty years, "Standards for Technological Literacy" (STL) (ITEA/ ITEEA, 2000/2002/2007) provided…

Informal STEM education experiences can be invaluable to students as a means of developing their future career goals and career interests. Extracurricular programs in the form of clubs, competitions, teams, and activities provide a platform for these informal education experiences. There are many STEM-focused extracurricular options for students,…

The process of writing lesson plans at the beginning of one's teaching career can be very time-consuming (Arnett-Hartwick and Cannon, 2019); however, the development of sequenced lessons that result in effective learning must be organized and articulate, not done haphazardly. Designing a lesson through a written document can help a teacher see the…

The automated water filtration design challenge integrates computer programming and basic electronics concepts through the SIMILAR systems engineering design process. The SIMILAR systems design process is to state the problem, investigate alternatives, model the system, integrate the system, launch the system, assess performance, and reevaluate…

A strength of technology and engineering (T&E) education programs is that they provide a unique context for students with varying abilities to apply their knowledge and skills in nontraditional ways. These courses help prepare students with valuable skills needed for college and career readiness. Makerspaces, fab labs, and STEM labs often…

The International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA's) Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Center for Teaching and Learning's Engineering by Design™ (EbD™) is a standards based Integrative STEM Education model program that provides curriculum, professional development, and assessments to K-12 schools. This article…

Teaching students the design process and providing opportunities for design is at the core of engineering/technology education. The design process is a key feature of technological literacy, and design is the most represented element within "Standards for Technological Literacy" (ITEA/ITEEA 2000, 2002/2007; Lewis, 2005; Wicklein, 2006).…

Construction Education has been dwindling in K-12 classrooms for the past 20 years (Frazier, 2015; Chini, 1999; Jones, 1990). This has led to enrollment issues and professional shortages in the construction industry (Bigelow, 2015). Couple these facts with the call for STEM majors (Painter, 2012), and there is a noteworthy opportunity: combine…

It is no secret that particular populations of Americans, specifically minorities, women, and students from high-poverty schools and districts, are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) jobs (Presidents' Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2010). In the 21st century, technology drives innovation…