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Session 1526

Impact of a NSF ATE funded High School Science and Technology Outreach Program: Evaluation of H.S.T.I. Materials

Eric A. Roe1, Andrew Hoff2, Marilyn Barger1, Richard Gilbert3 1 FL-ATE (Center for Manufacturing Education) Hillsborough Community College 2 University of South Florida – Department of Electrical Engineering 3 University of South Florida – Department of Chemical Engineering

Abstract

The National Science Education Standards state that "any presentation of science without developing an understanding of technology would portray an inaccurate picture of science." It further notes; "High school students do not distinguish between the roles of science and technology". Today’s high school students are exposed to an ever-increasing amount of high technology that impacts their everyday lives. Still, the number of students that possess knowledge or understanding of the underlying principles, or interest in the development and/or manufacturing background of these technologies is small. This lack of knowledge and interest has contributed to U.S. firms in the U.S. high-technology sector looking outside the country in order to find workers with the right skills. With these factors in mind, the High School Technology Initiative (HSTI) project was launched and funded by NSF-ATE.

HSTI offers materials that provide science and math content designed to connect students and teachers to today’s technologies. HSTI materials are Modules and Module Usage Guides (MUG) developed for science, mathematics and technology teachers. The Modules are topic based, supplementary teaching tools, designed to connect science and technology. Module Usage Guide (MUG) materials are Workshops and Short Courses. The MUG Workshop is designed to familiarize the teacher with the structure of the HSTI modules and offer suggestions for classroom integration. The Short Courses are the professional development portion of the MUG. They are classroom-based, in-depth training on the technologies associated with the science presented in the respective module. In the past two years, 180 teachers have accepted HSTI modules impacting nearly 20,000 students.

During the HSTI project, we have used mixed methods of data collection, including online teacher surveys regarding the modules, post professional development surveys, student impact prereporting by the teachers, and direct observations. The purpose of our sampling was to create an accurate composite picture of the teachers and students exposed to the HSTI materials and collect data to improve our product and process. Our strategy was to primarily solicit responses from the teachers, due to the difficulty in surveying students directly. This poster presentation will offer an overview of HSTI materials, discuss the evaluation methodology, and present evaluation results.

Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education.

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Gilbert, R., & Hoff, A., & Roe, E., & Barger, M. (2005, June), Impact Of A Nsf Ate Funded High School Science And Technology Outreach Program: Evaluation Of H.S.T.I. Materials Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14640