November 14, 2016

Expanding the STEM pipeline and increasing college access in the engineering fields is critical to the nation’s economic competitiveness in the global economy, as well as the importance of equity in higher education. Drexel University understands this commitment through its dedication to STEM teaching and learning as well as its DragonsTeach program, an implementation of the national UTeach model, an innovative university-based teacher preparation program that works to increase the number of qualified STEM teachers in U.S. secondary schools.

To help fulfill Drexel’s commitment to training the next generation of highly skilled students in the engineering fields, the Center for the Advancement of STEM Teaching and Learning Excellence (CASTLE) hosted the inaugural Bridging UTeach and Engineering Workshop from November 9 through 11th. This event was hosted in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, UTeach Institute, University of Colorado at Boulder, and Boise State University.

The workshop centered on a conversation on how to increase participation of the Engineering disciplines in the UTeach community. Specifically, the workshop explored the opportunities (and pitfalls!) of expanding or establishing a university’s UTeach program to include math and science secondary teacher licensure through an engineering degree pathway.

About the workshop:

The one-and-a-half-day workshop featured a keynote presentation on Wednesday, November 9th by Dr. Pamela Lottero-Perdue, Associate Professor of Science Education with the Department of Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences at Towson University. Dr. Lottero-Perdue led a discussion on Integrating Engineering within P12 Science and Mathematics highlighting the challenges and opportunities.

For a detailed account of the sessions’ presentations and a full overview of the workshop, please email dragonsteach@drexel.edu.

About the UTeach Institute:

The UTeach Institute housed in Austin, Texas, is an innovative university-based teacher preparation program that works to increase the number of qualified STEM teachers in U.S. secondary schools. UTeach was developed with the core idea that research universities have a profound role in improving the public education system.

Drexel University’s implementation of the UTeach model and a CASTLE initiative, DragonsTeach, prepares students for secondary STEM teacher preparation. For more information about DragonsTeach, visit here.