Design Technology and Engineering Education for English Learner Students: Project DTEEL

探索研究K-12计划(DRK-12)旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具(RMT)，显著提高K-12学龄前学生和教师在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)方面的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发努力的基础上，这些研究和开发工作为拟议的项目提供了理论和经验证明。初级STEM教育面临的一个重大挑战是英语学习者的准备工作多种多样。该项目通过创新地使用工程课程来解决这一问题，以英语学习者先前的经验为基础。该项目将支持教师学习教授英语学习者的策略，并将工程设计任务作为学习数学、科学和沟通技能的机会。该项目的跨学科方法以基于探究的科学教育研究和双语认知研究为基础。这些互补的焦点连接了研究领域，突出了学生的工程经验如何能够利用双语学生作为问题解决者的经验。该项目将提高教师在STEM和双语学生教学方面的能力和教学效能。该项目调整了以前为工程教育开发的课程，增加了支持双语学生的资源和工具。研究设计主要测量教师层面的现象，如教学策略的实施、STEM自我效能感以及通过工程设计活动解决双语学生学业发展的能力。收集的数据包括课堂观察、教师调查、焦点小组和教师访谈。学生评估将在项目的最后一年试行。

The Discovery Research K-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools (RMTs). Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. One significant challenge facing elementary STEM education is the varied preparation of English-language learners. The project addresses this with an innovative use of engineering curriculum to build on the English-language learners' prior experiences. The project will support teachers' learning about strategies for teaching English-language learners and using engineering design tasks as learning opportunities for mathematics, science and communication skills. The project's cross-disciplinary approach is grounded in both inquiry-based science education research and bilingual cognition research. These complementary foci bridge research areas to highlight how engineering experiences for students can capitalize on bilingual students' experiences as problem solvers. The project will develop teachers' ability and instructional efficacy for both STEM and bilingual student instruction. The project adapts a previously developed curriculum for engineering education by adding resources and tools to support bilingual students. The research design primarily measures teacher-level phenomenon such as implementation of instructional strategies, STEM self-efficacy and ability to address the academic development of bilingual students through engineering design activities. Data collected include classroom observations, teacher surveys, focus groups, and teacher interviews. Student assessments will be piloted in the final year of the project.