The engineering education epistemology of a science teacher (RTP, Strand 1)

Abstract

The Next Generation Science Standards1 (NGSS) and an all-out push by President Obama and the Department of Education seek to reform science education by introducing engineering content and practices into Kindergarten through 12th-grade instruction. Science teachers across the grades are tasked with including engineering in their science curricula creating the need for research on NGSS execution and roadblocks. This qualitative study stemmed from an experienced high school physics teacher's unexpected change in co-planned engineering instruction during a math and science enrichment camp. In an attempt to understand Evan's actions, this study examined the origins of and tensions within Evan's engineering education epistemology (EEE). My main research questions were, what are some identifiable features of Evan's education epistemology and engineering epistemology? How might these features combine in complex ways to form parts of his EEE? What tensions exist within his EEE? And how do tensions in his EEE affect his use of engineering in instruction? After triangulating Evan's explicit beliefs about engineering with his instructional practices, team conversations, an interview, and a member check, I assert that Evan's engineering epistemology involves reliable and efficient product creation but does he does not think engineers focus on learning new content knowledge as they create products. Evan's education epistemology involves providing opportunities for student success and teaching them new content knowledge. Together these epistemologies interact within his EEE. Evan abandoned engineering design projects for more traditional physics instruction at times when elements of his EEE conflicted. Understanding how Evan's EEE affected his use engineering instruction and his participation in NGSS reform efforts sheds critical light on the potential successes of the NGSS reform agenda in science classrooms.