An ad hoc committee under the auspices of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in collaboration with the National Research Council Board on Science Education, will oversee a project to understand current and anticipated future needs for engineering-literate PreK-12 educators in the United States and how these needs might be addressed. In meeting this goal, the committee will answer questions in three areas:

The Preparation of PreK-12 Engineering Educators

· What is known from education and learning sciences research about effective preparation of PreK-12 educators to teach about engineering?

· What appear to be the most promising educator-preparation practices currently in use?

· What additional research is needed to improve and expand effective approaches for preparing K12 engineering educators?

Professional Pathways for PreK-12 Engineering Educators

· What formal (e.g., state certification) and informal (e.g., “badging”) mechanisms are being used to recognize expertise and support career pathway options for PreK-12 teachers of engineering?

· What formal and informal credentialing mechanisms from domains other than education might be adapted or adopted to recognize expertise and support career pathway options for PreK-12 teachers of engineering?

· What are the practical and policy impediments to instituting effective credentialing for PreK-12 engineering educators, and how they might be addressed?

The Role of Higher Education

· What roles are or might post-secondary institutions, including but not limited to four-year engineering and engineering technology programs, play in the preparation of PreK-12 engineering educators?

· What are the practical and policy impediments to involving higher education in the preparation of PreK-12 engineering educators, and how might they be addressed?

In meeting the Statement of Task, the committee will (1) conduct an in-depth review of the literature related to preparation of PreK-12 engineering educators and (2) inventory U.S. pre-service and in-service programs that support the preparation and professional development of PreK-12 engineering educators. The inventory will describe the nature (e.g., curriculum) and history of the programs and, if known, the number of educators reached and the evidence for impact (e.g., on individual teaching practice and the growth of PreK-12 engineering education locally, regionally, or nationally).

The committee’s final report will propose steps key stakeholders might take to increase the number, skill-level, and confidence of PreK-12 engineering educators in the United States. Stakeholders will include professional development providers; post-secondary preservice education programs; post-secondary engineering and engineering technology programs; formal and informal educator credentialing organizations; and the education and learning sciences research communities.