This research examines the effects of the Horsham Greenpower Goblin Challenge (HGGC), a hands-on science, engineering and technology (SET) project, on the attitudes of Year 5, primary-school children towards SET. The data collection centred on pre- and post-HGGC questionnaires using Likert scales and picture/word images of scientists and…

Lifecycle assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool in teaching green engineering and has been used to assess biofuels, including ethanol. An undergraduate engineering course at Duke University has integrated LCA with other interactive teaching techniques to enhance awareness and to inform engineering decision making related to societal issues, such as…

Problem Based Learning (PBL) has proven to be a highly successful pedagogical model in many educational fields, although it is comparatively uncommon in technical education. It goes beyond the typical teaching methodology by promoting student interaction. This paper presents a PBL trial applied to an undergraduate Digital Electronics course in the…

Many men and women who are talented in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) choose not to pursue undergraduate majors or careers in these fields. To develop talents in STEM, educators must understand the factors that contribute to an individual's retention in STEM domains, as well as the factors that act as barriers to…

House Democrats recently unveiled draft legislation for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Widely touted as an economic stimulus package, the $825 billion draft legislation included as much as $142 billion for education. This includes the creation of a $79 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to assist state governments in…

The Exploratorium is home to XTech, a science education program which began in 2006 and was primarily funded by a three-year National Science Foundation grant (Award # 05-25217) through its ITEST (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) initiative. XTech provided project-based afterschool activities in science, engineering,…

The influx of international graduate students in science and engineering to the U.S. has changed since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and related F-1 visa policies have required a higher level of scrutiny of the student visa procedures, and introduced…

In recent years, an increasing number of university students in Canada speak a home language other than English, which can put added pressure on the kinds of linguistic, cultural, and academic support they may require in their tertiary education and in the workplace. Indeed, communication difficulties can surface in the workplace for students…

A study assessed labor shortages in the United States by conducting case studies of four occupations: special education teachers, paraprofessional home care workers, electrical and electronic engineers, and tool and die makers. The research approach combined analysis of existing data sources and interviews with individuals knowledgeable about the…

The papers and research reports comprising the ten chapters of this monograph were originally prepared as background information for a national study of engineering technology education in the United States. Chapter I briefly describes the historical and contemporary settings of engineering technology education. After Chapter II provides…

This book presents 16 papers on problems and innovations in postsecondary engineering education. An introduction discusses the major issues currently facing engineering education. Chapter 2 briefly reviews the papers which are grouped under topics. Three of thee papers comment on teaching non-technical matters and attitudes. Two papers point out…

A five-year follow-up was conducted of graduates of the Engineering Technology program at Delgado Community College to estimate the economic impact of the Engineering Technology Division, and its faculty, staff, and graduates on the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. Bernard, and St.…

This report focuses primarily on the technological dimensions of competitiveness in the United States with its capability to: create and effectively use technology; increase the value added to goods and services through the application of technology; manage technology in industry for more effective relationships among companies, universities, and…

This four-part booklet examines various issues related to nuclear weapons and how they will affect an individual working as a scientist or engineer. It provides information about the history of nuclear weapons, about the weapons industry which produces them, and about new weapons programs. Issues are raised so that new or future graduates may make…

This report documents the measurement of learning outcomes and the formative/summative evaluation of courses as derived from the activities and experiences of educators in many fields of endeavor to determine how best to design courses of instruction and how to measure the learning outcomes resulting from courses. The report is divided into four…