纽泽西学院

We live in a highly technological age and the impacts of technology and engineering on the individual, society, and environment are great. Design, a fundamental aspect of technology & engineering, is also central to our department’s teacher preparation methods. The K–12 educational system, as well as society in general, can benefit from professionals who understand the impacts and value of developing the habits of mind of designers. Our department coordinates two undergraduate teacher preparation programs - Technology Education, with a focus on secondary education, and iSTEM (Integrative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), with a focus on the PK–8 grade range.

Both undergraduate teacher preparation programs are integrative STEM-based programs, studying a variety of STEM content areas and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) educational methods. STEM content areas include the science and math applied in design processes (for K–12 environment), historical and contemporary influence of designed objects, creativity, product development, human factors engineering, product modeling, problem-solving techniques, environmental and biotechnical systems, communications, electronics and computers, structures, mechanisms and robotics. Emphasis is placed on understanding and applying core STEM principles and applying design-based PBL pedagogies. Courses are conducted in modern classroom/laboratories housed in the School of Engineering.

Many reports have explicitly outlined the value that technology and engineering (design-based fields) have on the educational quality in the K–12 system. These include, (i) Rise Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future (NAS and NAE, 2007), (ii) Rise above the Gathering Storm, revisited: Rapidly approaching Category 5 (NAE and NRC, 2010), (iii) Engineering in K–12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects (NAE and NRC, 2009), (iv) STEM Integration in K–12 Education, Status, Prospects, and an Agenda for Research (NAE and NRC, 2014), and (v) the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which require engineering content in science courses.

New Jersey also recognizes the importance of technology and engineering through the establishment of standards for K–12 students (NJ Core Content Standard 8.2 for “Technology Education, Engineering, Design, and Computational Thinking Programming”). Graduates of our programs receive provisional certification to teach in New Jersey schools, and most states recognize teacher candidates from NCATE/CAEP nationally accredited programs, such as TCNJ. Graduates from both the Technology Education and iSTEM programs are in high demand.