Impacts of professional development focused on teaching engineering applications of mathematics and science

With the recent national emphasis on preparing children for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, K-12 teachers are being called upon to include engineering in their instruction. This study explores the impacts of a summer professional development (PD) program focused on the engineering applications of mathematics and science on in-service K-12 teachers' (a) personal engineering efficacy, (b) engineering teaching efficacy, and (c) perceived barriers to teaching engineering. This quantitative study revealed that a single engineering-focused PD could increase teachers' personal engineering efficacy and engineering teaching efficacy and reduce particular perceived barriers to teaching engineering. No differences existed in pre- to post workshop assessment scores based on grade level taught, gender, or years of teaching experiences. However, pre- to post workshop assessment differences existed between participants depending on the discipline they taught and wether or not they had previously used engineering activities in their classrooms. These findings suggest that a single engineering PD can have significant impacts on in-service teachers' personal engineering efficacy, engineering teaching efficacy, and perceived barriers to teaching engineering, but a one-size-fits-all approach to such PD is not equally effective for all participants.