Perceptions of District Curriculum Administrators Regarding K-12 Engineering Education

The state of Nebraska recently adopted and implemented a set of Science standards that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards which include engineering practices such as engineering design and the use of technology. Curriculum administrators throughout the state are responsible for the implementation of these standards including training for engineering teaching and learning. This exploratory study investigated curriculum administrators’ (n = 43) perceptions of Engineering Education in four areas: Importance of Engineering Education, District Familiarity with Engineering Education, Characteristics of Engineering, and Barriers to Integrating Engineering Education. This exploratory study used one instrument to collect data: a modified Design, Engineering, and Technology (DET) Survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings of this study revealed curriculum administrators express that the Science curriculum is an effective means to deliver engineering education and that engineering education content in pre-service teacher education programs and in-service teacher professional development to foster engineering education familiarity and best practices should be improved