Teachers' Domain: Advanced Technological Education

The WGBH Educational Foundation (WGBH) is developing, evaluating, and disseminating a Teachers' Domain digital library collection of rich-media resources drawn from the national network of ATE Projects and Centers to support the teaching and learning of advanced technologies in high schools. Leveraging NSF's investment in the original production of such learning objects for use in higher education settings through the ATE program, the project is identifying those most appropriate for teachers and students in grades 9-12 and adding background essays, lesson plans, and other contextualization features to support integration with commonly taught curricula, easy use by both teachers and students, and alignment with standards in mathematics and science as well as technology. A companion online professional development course targeting science, math, and technical/career education teachers at the high school level is also being produced and marketed. The Center for Children and Technology (CCT) at the Education Development Center (EDC) is piloting these resources in testbed schools and conducting a series of case studies analyzing use throughout the country. This project is helping to prepare the nation's technical workforce by enhancing the relevance and impact of STEM education while also encouraging students to consider further study and potential careers in advanced technology fields. A secondary goal is to prepare high school teachers to integrate such content within ongoing math and science classes. Dissemination, promotion, and marketing activities are conducted through collaborating ATE Projects and Centers as well as established channels of WGBH and the other member stations of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), engaging professional associations in K-12 science, math, and technology.