Engineering Summer Institute for Teachers
(and Academic Year 2009-2010 Support Course)
Preparation for Offering Engineering Courses in High School
In collaboration with faculty from the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, UT Dallas is developing engineering courses for in-service teachers as part of a combined effort to increase the number of Texas high school students who choose STEM career paths in high school and college.
The University of Texas at Dallas will offer a three course sequence to assist in-service teachers in their preparation for offering a year long Engineering course at the High School level. Two courses will be offered in Summer 2009, and a third course will be offered during Academic Year 2009-2010. We expect that funds will be available to cover part or all of the cost of tuition and fees, and we expect to pair each participating teacher with a practicing engineer/mentor. These courses may be used as part of the Master of Arts in Teaching Science Education program.
The two six-week long intensive courses will begin June 8 and will end July 14. These courses will run Monday-Friday, 8am-5 pm, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The AY 2009-2010 course will meet 8am-5 pm on five Fridays (approximately at the start of the 2nd and 3rd six weeks periods in the Fall semester and at the start of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd six weeks in the Spring semester).
Summer 2009 Courses
Foundations of Engineering and Design introduces teachers to the many facets of engineering, including:
- What engineers do,
- How engineers combine creativity, innovation, and problem solving with the constraints of time, money, and materials to bring products to market,
- Content knowledge combined with Hands-On Projects
Engineering in the Classroom builds on the first course to help prepare teachers for their first offering of a high school engineering course, including:
- Comparison of currently available engineering curricula for high schools,
- Examination of TEKS for science and engineering,
- Assistance in development of teaching and laboratory materials
- Methods for presenting engineering curricula
Academic Year 2009-2010 Course
Intermediate Engineering and Design (tentative title)
Many skilled in-service teachers who are teaching a high school engineering course for the first time will want additional engineering content knowledge and a forum to exchange experiences with other such teachers. This course will focus on engineering content (particularly topics likely to come up in the coming six weeks), development and delivery of labs and engineering projects, and understanding of major engineering concepts.
Note: Teachers who receive tuition/fees support from The University of Texas at Dallas for the Summer 2009 courses must (1) enroll in the AY 2009-2010 course and (2) provide a letter from their district stating that the district will allow the teacher to attend on the five designated Fridays and cover the cost of the substitute teacher on those five Fridays.
Stipend
Each teacher who successfully completes the two Summer 2009 courses will receive a $3000 stipend. In addition, as described above, support for tuition/fees may be available.
Application and Acceptance
In order to apply for the 2009 ESIT UT Dallas, send an email to melton@utdallas.edu and you will receive materials and instructions by return email.
Applications will be evaluated as they are received, and applicants will be notified of the status of the application. Preference will be given to applicants with current math, science (particularly chemistry and/or physics), or technology certification, to applicants with prior engineering background, and to applicants whose districts will offer a high school engineering course starting in 2009. However, many districts will want to begin offering engineering in 2010, and teachers from such districts are encouraged to apply.
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Lynn A. Melton
Department of Science/Mathematics Education
The
University of Texas at Dallas
(972) 998-8567 melton@utdallas.edu
- Updated: January 22, 2009
