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Session 3531

ESTABLISHING PURPOSEFUL K-12, COLLEGIATE, & INDUSTRIAL EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN MATH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY

American Society for Engineering Education 2003 Annual Conference Paper

Monica J. Bruning - Iowa State University Barbara Kruthoff – Wall Lake View Auburn School District

Abstract

The challenge of an education befitting a technologically knowledgeable workforce involves two fundamental components. It involves the preparedness of students implying a suitable education and the preparedness of the teacher. In order for teachers to keep pace with knowledge and skills akin to a technological age, they need resources for their students and themselves in the form of professional development. Therefore, this study sought to develop a needs assessment tool to acquire data to more effectively facilitate educational partnerships between K-12 and higher education systems, and engineering or technology-based businesses or industries.

This research project involved developing and electronically administering two surveys —one for a sample of K-12 teachers in Iowa and one for a sample of technologically based business and industry in Iowa. The survey for teachers consisted of a self-assessment of content knowledge and utilization of best practices, and a composite of desirable partnership activities related to science, math, and technology. A second survey inventoried business/industry K-12 educational partnership activities and participation. The survey asked business/industry to identify their participation in various partnering activities and their view of the level of importance and effectiveness of those activities, as well as the resulting value that those partnering activities might have for their business/industry.

Scores for partnering activities deemed “important” by teachers had similar correlations to the same list of activities for business/industry suggesting that it is the ‘right time’ to develop partnering relationships. However, participation in partnering activities was low. Barriers to educational partnering were explored and recommendations for further study are included.

Introduction

In today’s economic climate, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that a knowledge economy is especially dependent on, and thus vulnerable to, deficiencies in the talents and knowledge of the available workforce. The last decade alone has seen unprecedented and unanticipated changes in the nature of work itself in fields such as information technology and biotechnology as noted in Technically Speaking (National Academy of Engineering & National Research Council, 2002). To ensure that the workforce of tomorrow possesses the necessary competencies and knowledge, educators must train workers to succeed in jobs that are not yet imagined.

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Bruning, M. (2003, June), Establishing Purposeful K 12, Collegiate, & Industrial Educational Partnerships In Math, Science, And Technology Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--12157