An Introduction to the Standards for Preparation and Professional Development for Teachers of Engineering

Abstract

The past 30 years have yielded a mature body of research regarding effective professional development for teachers of science and mathematics, leading to a robust selection of professional development programs for these teachers. The current emphasis on connections among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics underscores the need for similar research into the nature of effective professional development for teachers of engineering. With this in mind, this paper completes a review of the literature concerning effective professional development for teachers of engineering, both as a unique discipline and as a context for teaching and learning in other subjects. The results of this review serve as the foundation for five research-based design standards for professional development initiatives in the field of engineering education, which have been published on the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) website along with a matrix that will enable providers and consumers of engineering professional development to determine the extent to which a given program focuses on each of those standards.