Panel - the technological literacy of undergraduates: Developing standard models

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Assessing Technological Literacy in the United States Abstract The challenges to developing tools and techniques for assessment of technological literacy are presented in a panel format, with each panelist above providing a 4 minute summary of his written contribution shown below, followed by an audience questions and discussion. Three distinct sections of this overview provide: a summary of a recently issued NAE report on assessing the technological literacy of K-12 students, K-12 teachers, and the general US population, a case study of assessment of a well established technological literacy course at Hope College, and summary of 12 technological literacy course formats, student learning styles, and assessment and evaluation tools, taken from a 2005 NSF-sponsored faculty workshop on teaching technological literacy. Taken collectively, these pieces identify the current situation for, and future challenges to, achievement of widespread assessment for technological literacy undergraduate instruction. I. Assessment of Technological Literacy: A National Academies Perspective. (Greg Pearson National Academy of Engineering) The idea that all Americans, and U.S. school children in particular, should know something about the nature, history, and role of technology1 is not new. Over the last several decades, curriculum developers, university scholars, engineering and scientific professional associations, museums, government agencies, foundations, industry groups, and others have invested considerable time and money in a range of efforts intended to encourage greater “technological literacy.” The majority of these initiatives have taken place within an educational system that for the most part does not recognize technology as an area of academic content in its own right. In the last five years, several separate but related initiatives have seemed to elevate the prospects that both the policy-making and education communities in the United States will begin to view the study of technology as an important issue. The National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, for example, funded the development of a set of content standards for the study of technology (ITEA, 2000). During this same period, one of the largest professional engineering societies in the world, IEEE, convened engineering and education school deans with the goal of beginning a dialogue between the two camps about technological literacy and its implications for how teachers are educated. In 2002, the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council published Technically Speaking: Why All Americans Need to Know More About Technology,2 a report that argues for greater technological literacy for all citizens1. The report proposed a model of technological literacy that has three dimensions: knowledge, capability, and ways of thinking and acting. Unfortunately, as Technically Speaking points out, none of these efforts—past or present—has been informed in any meaningful way by knowledge of what Americans actually know about technology. Although the best guess of experts with an interest in the issue is that the level is lower than we would wish, the truth is that no one knows.

American Society Energizing Education submissionJune 10-14 San Antonio, Texas 2012Technological literacy in required science courses for non-STEM students in acommunity college with extension to junior high school environmentAbstractTechnology literacy is an important outcome for a non-STEM student taking a requiredscience course to function effectively in our technology driven economy. Thedevelopment of technological literacy in a non-STEM science course benefited from ourexperience in teaching engineering technology courses and practical field training withstudents. Social technological issues such as the pros and cons of various energy sources,genetically modified food, etc. are crucial elements for choices in a democratic society.The understanding of a current personal technological device/gadget and the pivotalscience based technology for the expected next generation product would drive themarket surveying results with positive effect on the economy. Such emphases have beentaught in the two science courses, principles of astronomy and space, and principles ofphysics. Examples in imaging, remote sensing and control, wireless communication,fusion, radioactive dating, etc. have been used to deliver technological literacy in threecognitive dimensions of knowledge, capabilities, and critical thinking and decision-making; consistent with the recommendation of National Academy of Engineering(NAE). The astronomy course with NASA priority and operation discussion has beenfound to be suitable in fulfilling the five technological literacy expectationsrecommended by International Technology Education Association (ITEA), in addition tothe usual science literacy requirement. Junior high school science sessions have beenconducted with the inclusion of technological literacy as well, and our preliminaryfindings suggest that technological literacy would promote parents’ interests andencouragement for STEM majors in their families.

Research Article| May 01 1998 A Study of the Role of Research Scientists in K-12 Science Education Marvin Druger, Marvin Druger Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar George Allen George Allen Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar The American Biology Teacher (1998) 60 (5): 344–349. https://doi.org/10.2307/4450492 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Marvin Druger, George Allen; A Study of the Role of Research Scientists in K-12 Science Education. The American Biology Teacher 1 May 1998; 60 (5): 344–349. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/4450492 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentThe American Biology Teacher Search This content is only available via PDF. Copyright The National Association of Biology Teachers Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

Purpose of research. The purpose of the paper is to describe the possibilities of including tasks for the design, development, use and experimental evaluation of “inverted” educational resources in the professional training of future teachers of mathematics and computer science for the development of their subject-methodical readiness. The formation and development of subject-methodical readiness is the main goal of professional training of future lecturers at a pedagogical university. The process of creating “inverted” educational resources requires from their author quite serious subject and methodological training. Potentially, the inclusion of tasks for the design, development, expertise, practical use and evaluation of “inverted” educational resources in the professional training of future teachers of mathematics and computer science can create conditions conducive to the formation of competencies of future teachers to create a comprehensive educational process in a digital environment. Since, on the one hand, in such didactic means, the educational content should be presented systematized and structured, have logic and hierarchical connections. On the other hand, the problematic issues included in the resources should reflect specific subject educational results in accordance with a given taxonomic model in the curriculum.Materials and methods. Based on the analysis of theoretical and methodological sources, the article substantiates the relevance of the problem of finding new ways and means of implementing additional subject training in mathematics and computer science for both schoolchildren and future teachers in the context of digitalization of education. The analysis of examples of “inverted” educational resources, which are the results of the implementation of project tasks by undergraduate students of the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University named after V.P. Astafiev, is presented. Through theoretical and methodological substantiation, the main possibilities of including tasks for working with such resources at different stages of professional training of future teachers of mathematics and computer science at a pedagogical university are synthesized.Results. In this study, the problems related to the possibility of including “inverted” educational resources as digital didactic tools in the training programs of future teachers of mathematics and computer science were updated. The authors’ position on the issue of the purpose of such teaching tools in the context of the digitalization of education is presented and substantiated. Examples of the results of the implementation of project tasks by senior students during the 2021-2022 academic year were demonstrated. The key didactic and information technology features, possible tools for creating “inverted” educational resources are given. The definition of the subject-methodical readiness of the future teacher of mathematics and computer science as an essential component of professional readiness is concretized. The possibilities of strengthening subject-methodical training by including tasks for work with “inverted” educational resources are described: analytical – in junior courses when mastering disciplines related to the use of digital technologies in education; project – in the middle courses when mastering methodological disciplines; experimental and expert - in the senior courses when passing industrial (pedagogical) practice and mastering the final disciplines of the professional educational program of higher pedagogical education.Conclusion. On a final note, the results and conclusions obtained in the paper are summarized; the key positions of the authors on the inclusion of “inverted” educational resources in the professional training of future teachers of mathematics and computer science are given. The materials of the article may be of interest to lecturers of pedagogical universities who train future teachers, representatives of schools cooperating with organizations of higher pedagogical education, researchers in the field of digitalization and digital transformation of education.

This study was conducted to describe a high school engineering curriculum, identify teaching strategies used to increase math and science literacy, and discover challenges and constraints that occur during its development and delivery, as well as what strategies are used to overcome these obstacles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the engineering instructor. In addition, students were observed and curriculum documents, teacher lesson plans, and teacher resources were examined. Concepts created the platform for delivery, curricular trial and error was at work, science and engineering competitions were leveraged as a basis for learning activities, and project based learning and teaching was critical. There was a clear emphasis on creative thought and work. Assessment of student learning was dubious and elusive and stakeholders tended to be uneasy with this new pedegogy. Financial and instructional support through business partnership and administrative support were found to be critical strategies used to overcome obsticles identified. David Stricker is an Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin-Stout. He can be reached at strickerd@uwstout.edu 64 JOURNAL OF STEM TEACHER EDUCATION A Case Study: Teaching Engineering Concepts in Science The focus on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for America’s children can be traced back to the days of Sputnik and beyond. However, compared with advancements then, it has been argued that today technological development and industrial growth are increasing at an exponential rate with expanding global application (Brophy, Klein, Portsmore, Rogers, 2008). Consequently, amid concerns that the United States may not be able to compete with other nations in the future due to insufficient investment today in science and technology research and STEM education, funding initiatives such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (U.S. Department of Education, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Saving and Creating Jobs and Reforming Education) and “Race to the Top” competitive grants have been enacted in 2009 in an effort to offer substantial federal support for such initiatives (U.S. Department of Education. President Obama, U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan Announce National Competition to Advance School Reform). The support structure for STEM education does not end with tax dollars. Large private companies such as Time Warner Cable have committed $100 million in media time, and the MacArthur Foundation is supporting “National Lab Day” that will include, among other initiatives, a year-long effort to expand hands-on learning methods throughout the country. Specifically, within the STEM focus, engineering education supports the attainment of a wide range of knowledge and skills associated with comprehending and using STEM knowledge to achieve real world problem solving through design, troubleshooting, and analysis activities (Brophy, et. al., 2008). The arguments for including A Case Study: Teaching Engineering Concepts 65 engineering education into the general education curriculum are well established. Some are motivated by concerns regarding the quantity, quality, and diversity of future engineering talent (American Society for Engineering Education, 1987; National Academy of Engineering, 2005; National Research Council, 1996; International Technology Education Association, 2002) and others by the basic need for all students, in their pursuit of preparing for life, work, and citizenship in a society inundated with technology, to possess a fundamental understanding of the nature of engineering (Welty, 2008). In an attempt to address this issue, there have been a number of curricula designed to infuse engineering content into technology education courses (Dearing & Daugherty, 2004). Each of these programs proposes teaching engineering concepts or engineering design in technology education as a vehicle to address the standards for technological literacy (International Technology Education Association, 2000/2002). Similarly, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) publication Technically Speaking (Pearson and Young, 2002) emphasizes the need for all people to become technologically literate to function in the modern world. However, despite this clear need, within the technology education profession itself, the appropriate engineering curriculum required for implementation, particularly at the high school level, remains unclear. Indeed, engineering curricula exist that have been designed for implemetation, not in technology education, but rather in math and science classrooms. As a result of the choices available to teachers and school administrators, the extent to which the most effective way of delivereing engineering content to high school students remains unclear. 66 JOURNAL OF STEM TEACHER EDUCATION

This study focuses on gender issues in terms of participation, achievement and duration of studies at the Tertiary level of education in Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E). For this reason, 1957 degrees earned by Computer Engineers were studied. These diplomas cover a 21 year period of graduation at the Computer Engineering and Informatics Department (CEID), University of Patras, Greece. The analysis of the data shows that: a) male graduate students outnumbered the female ones by three to one, b) in terms of achievement, no significant differences exist between male and female graduate computer engineers, and c) female students complete their studies earlier than their male counterparts.

Background & Context Continuously developing teachers’ knowledge, practice, and professional identity is one of the key standards for effective computer science (CS) teachers. Objective This study aims to understand the landscape of CS teachers in the United States, the professional identity they hold, and how their background and teaching context are associated with their CS teacher identity. Method Using data of 3540 teachers, we performed a two-step cluster analysis to reveal homogeneous subgroups of CS teachers. The relationship between teachers’ backgrounds and their CS teacher identity was also assessed. Findings This study identified four profiles of CS teachers based on their professional identity. . CS teacher identity is strongly associated with teachers’ Computer Science Teachers Association membership, teaching responsibility, teaching experience, and their exposure to CS coursework. Implications More professional support is needed for CS teachers, especially for early-career CS teachers, elementary school teachers, and teachers with multiple responsibilities and little CS background.

Little is known about how K-12 Computer Science (CS) teachers use technology and problem-based learning (PBL) to teach CS content in the context of CS Principles curricula. Significantly, little qualitative research has been conducted in these areas in computer science education, so we lack an in-depth understanding of the complicated realities of CS teachers' experiences. This paper describes the practices and experiences of six teachers' use of technology that was implemented to support PBL in the context of a dual enrollment CS Principles course.

Guest Editorial: Situational awareness of integrated energy systems

In the quest to study and deliver Computer Science (CS) education reform, attention to gate-keeping teacher characteristics is imperative. Broad research in teacher education has demonstrated that teacher dispositions are an important driver of teacher motivation, professional choices, and classroom practices. Identification and measurements of teacher dispositions enables further analysis of how teacher beliefs may support or hinder effective practice in CS instruction, how teacher populations may differ, and how identified dispositions may change with exposure to various CS learning experiences. We analyzed 17 key documents produced by 12 national CS organizations using a grounded theory methodology to identify desirable attitudes and beliefs associated with CS and the CS education reform movement. The documents included standards, corporate research reports, advocacy tools for CS education, and organizational documents of professional associations for CS and CS Education. The analysis yielded several important dispositional targets for description and measurement in the area of teacher attitudes and beliefs. An analysis of 98 coded segments related to dispositions yielded consensus attitudes and beliefs. Professional documents in CS highlight an equity orientation, a teacher growth mindset, and identify key beliefs regarding (career) outcomes and epistemology of CS. It is possible, based on this analysis, to create a profile of a teacher who demonstrates the attitudes and beliefs of a reform-aligned CS teacher, the CS "Champion''. Instrument development along these factors is an important next step towards unlocking the analytical power of teacher attitudes and beliefs.

This paper explores the potential of virtual education options to fulfill policies designed to broaden participation in computer science (CS) education. Virtual education platforms inherently offer access to a wider range of students than traditional brick-and-mortar schools. Access does not preclude the various socio-economic challenges to engaging these platforms, but this format could be used to mitigate barriers to reaching groups of students that have historically been marginalized in CS courses. In 2019, Georgia passed legislation that requires all middle and high schools to offer CS courses by 2025. The legislation also allowed for virtual courses to satisfy the requirement. While the legislation is intent on broadening participation in CS education, it specifically incorporates a virtual option, making it novel among similar legislative actions across the country. In this context, we examine whether virtual CS courses increase access for marginalized student populations. As such, we explore (1) to what extent do the disparities in CS education found in brick-and-mortar classrooms also appear in virtual settings and (2) to what extent is there an association between modality and rurality on CS course enrollment. Using district enrollment data from 2012 to 2019 for CS courses in Georgia, we calculated the percentage of students in marginalized groups that enrolled in physical courses across the state compared to the percentage enrolled in statewide virtual courses to illuminate existing disparities in enrollment. We conducted this analysis at the district level to highlight variability in representative disparity and the underlying structural differences that might contribute to these disparities. Our analysis provides insight that incorporates the different levels of representative disparity districts have overall. As an early adopter of virtual CS education, the Georgia model provides valuable information for states interested in policies to broaden participation in CS courses.

Substantial global changes in energy production and use are occurring at present and will continue to occur for decades to come, with widespread ramifications for the distribution of wealth and power and humanity’s social and environmental future. This raises important ethical considerations that should be addressed in the education of engineers, whose research and practice will assuredly involve energy to some degree. The Energy Ethics in Science and Engineering Education Project, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, sought to enhance attention to and projects in energy ethics in graduate research education concerning energy. The partners, the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes (CSPO) at Arizona State University (ASU) and the Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society (CEES) at the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), conducted a number of research, educational, and outreach activities to develop a foundational intellectual basis for understanding the ethics of energy transitions, to provide opportunities for students to learn about energy ethics, and to disseminate ideas and materials broadly. Evaluation results indicate the project has been successful in engaging students in various formats; additionally the project has illuminated a number of fundamental ideas about the interrelationships among energy, ethics, and society.

Justice-centered approaches to equitable computer science (CS) education\nframe CS learning as a means for advancing peace, antiracism, and social\njustice rather than war, empire, and corporations. However, most research in\njustice-centered approaches in CS education focus on K-12 learning\nenvironments. In this position paper, we review justice-centered approaches to\nCS education, problematize the lack of justice-centered approaches to CS in\nhigher education in particular, and describe a justice-centered approach for\nundergraduate Data Structures and Algorithms. Our approach emphasizes three\ncomponents: (1) ethics: critiques the sociopolitical values of data structure\nand algorithm design as well as the underlying logics of dominant computing\nculture; (2) identity: draws on culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogies to\nemphasize student identity as rooted in resistance to the dominant computing\nculture; and (3) political vision: ensures the rightful presence of political\nstruggles by reauthoring rights to frame CS learning as a force for social\njustice. Through a case study of this Critical Comparative Data Structures and\nAlgorithms pedagogy, we argue that justice-centered approaches to higher CS\neducation can help all computing students not only learn about the ethical\nimplications of nominally technical concepts, but also develop greater respect\nfor diverse epistemologies, cultures, and experiences surrounding computing\nthat are essential to creating the socially-just worlds we need.\n

K-12 computer science education utilizes a variety of tools and resources that make significant contributions. Tools such as unplugged computer science tools, block-based computer science tools, text-based computer science tools, physical computer science tools, robotic kits, artificial intelligence, etc. have an important place in K-12 computer science education. It is crucial to incorporate computer science instruction into the basic courses of K-12 students, as well as to incorporate these tools into the curriculum. Worldwide resources have a significant impact on the enrichment and dissemination of K-12 computer science education. The content and resources created by platforms like Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE), etc. contribute significantly to K-12 computer science education. Websites such as K-12 Computer Science, CS for ALL, Teach Computing, Code.org, Scratch, etc. are also important platforms that have become learning communities in computer science education.

Introduction The computing sciences are complex fields that combine both theoretical and practical components. Students successfully completing an undergraduate computer science program should have instruction in both the mathematical and theoretical foundations of computing as well as the more practical aspects of how to effectively use computers to solve problems. Software engineering, as its name implies, is more directed toward the practical aspects of how to successfully develop complex systems that meet user requirements and are reliable, usable, and maintainable. Computing Curricula 2005 recognizes the need for more extensive education to produce professional engineers than what can be reasonably provided in a typical computer science program (ACM, 2005). As such, they propose engineering be treated as a totally separate discipline within computer science education. However, while there has been some debate about the exact role engineering should have in a computer science program (Curran, 2003), the ACM Curricula has maintained the importance of engineering to all computer science students and has kept it as a core element in computer science education (ACM, 2008). For purposes of this paper, we will focus on the teaching of engineering within the computer science discipline. Unlike other topics in the computer science major, the techniques and principles taught in engineering are often first developed and refined in industry before arriving in the classroom. As commercial development techniques and tools evolve, so pedagogical methodologies change. Computer science educators have taken different approaches to teaching engineering over the years, both as a result of changing methodologies as well as individual beliefs about what teaching methods work best in a particular academic environment. This paper is a case study in applying current productivity tools (specifically Redmine) in a engineering course at our institution. The objectives of the study are to investigate how to integrate the tools into the existing structure and evaluate their impact. We describe our experience in recently changing our approach to teaching engineering to be more aligned with current tools and how to effectively use them in an academic environment. The paper begins with an overview of engineering teaching methods, then describes our traditional approach and motivation for changing, how the new approach was integrated into the course, our experience with the change, and, finally, our plans for the future Software Engineering Education Background Software Engineering is defined as the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation and maintenance of software (Petkovic, Thompson, & Todtenhoefer, 2006, p. 294). The need to teach engineering in colleges has been identified for decades. Stiller & LeBlanc (2002) point out as far back as the early 1990's, ACM Computing Curricula suggested that the at least one engineering course should be required in accredited computer science programs. They point out that the number of large projects in industry demand this and suggest that the proof of the success of these accredited computer science programs should be seen in the reduction of failure in the design and operation of large computer programs. Software engineering programs can be thought of as a replacement for the old apprenticeship programs which taught the trades to workman (Stroulia, Bauer, Craig, Reid, & Wilson, 2011). The issue, however, is how to bring this effect into the classroom. Many educators feel that current practices of teaching engineering are not adequately preparing students for the real world of development. Nurkkala & Brandle (2011) summarize the problems with current teaching approaches: * No product--students are creating projects, not commercial grade products * Short duration--single semester, or two-semester, courses impose an artificial time constraint * High turnover--new students each semester means the talent pool remains shallow and student skills are not developing based on previous experience * Low complexity--by necessity given time constraints and skill sets * No maintenance--as a result of short duration, students do not experience a key aspect of development, the maintenance phase * No customer--most engineering projects do not interface with a real customer To address these shortcomings, different approaches to teaching engineering have emerged and been proposed in the literature. …