Designing and implementing teacher professional development in nanoscale science and engineering: What makes for a successful program

Abstract

Nanoscale science and engineering is considered by many to be the next "industrial revolution."The NSF estimates that by 2015 nanoscale science and engineering will be a $2.0 trillionindustry with the U.S. needing approximately 1 million workers. The Georgia Institute ofTechnology's National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) site has been developingand implementing a professional development program in nanoscale science and engineeringeducation (NSEE) for secondary science teachers (grades 7 -12). It is our belief that we mustprovide teachers with the tools and resources needed to educate the future US workforce innanoscale science and engineering. In addition, we have found that nanoscale concepts excitestudents about science and engineering. We have been refining our approach over the pastseveral years and are now focusing our professional development on the Big Ideas in NanoscaleScience and Engineering: A Guidebook for Secondary Teachers1. The primary focus of ourprogram has been to help teachers understand how nanoscale science and engineering can fit intoa standards-based science curriculum that is already taught in middle and high school classrooms(physical science, physics, chemistry, and biology). Additional components of the programinclude why students should learn about nanoscale science and engineering (workforcedevelopment) and how it is an interdisciplinary field which helps students understand theinterconnections between the sciences and engineering. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.