A High Quality Educative Curriculum in Engineering Fosters Pedagogical Growth

The Next Generation Science Standards call for the integration of engineering into mainstream science education, yet challenges arise for teachers unfamiliar with engineering-based pedagogy or concepts. The INSPIRES Hemodialysis educative curriculum may address such challenges by explicitly integrating all areas of STEM in an authentic learning experience with pedagogical support for teachers. Preparation and implementation of the INSPIRES curriculum is paired with professional development (PD) guided by the PrimeD framework. The present three-year study explored the role of the INSPIRES curriculum and PD in strengthening teacher pedagogical skills while implementing engineering ideas and practices in high school biology and technology education classrooms. Teachers’ classroom practices were measured with the RTOP and qualifying themes emerged through further analyses across multiple time points. Initially, PD focused on the INSPIRES curriculum but later supported teachers in individual areas of concern. Growth in design-based pedagogy was evident in both engineering-rich INSPIRES lessons and subsequent teacher-developed lessons which highlighted the transfer of new skills. While skill transfer occurred within the teacher population discussed here, sustained pedagogical reform may require continued PD support over time. Overall, educative curricula may provide a vector for integrating elements of educational reform to address NGSS challenges, especially in engineering education.