curricula links

• Home Page
• Undergraduate
• Industrial Technology
• Industrial Distribution
• Dual Degree Option
• Engineering/Technology Teacher Education Degree Option
• Biotechnology
• Degree Plans of Study
• Professional Education
• Continuing Education
• University of Industrial Distribution
• Weekend Masters Program

Introduction to the Engineering/Technology Teacher Education Program

Purdue University’s Engineering/Technology Teacher Education Program prepares educators to teach in middle school and high school technology education classrooms.  The curriculum develops professional educators with strong pedagogical and technical skills needed for success in today’s high-performance workplace.

Careers

Purdue University’s Engineering/Technology Teacher Education Program places 100% of its graduates. Currently there is an extreme shortage of technology education teachers in the school districts across the nation. Many states are offering incentives for graduates to relocate. Technology education teachers instruct both middle-level and secondary courses in the areas of design technology, drafting (CAD), construction technology, electricity/electronics, manufacturing technology, power and energy, and transportation technology.

The Program

The Engineering/Technology Teacher Education undergraduate curriculum is based on the Scholar-Practitioner Model, NCATE accreditation standards, Standards for Technological Literacy, Advancing Excellence in Technological Literacy, and Indiana Professional Standards Board Standards.  This solid foundation emphasizes the blending of practical experiences, technical expertise, and academic rigor.  Students complete coursework in general education, professional education, and technology education.  Most students complete their degree requirements in four years.  The undergraduate preparation is capstoned by a supervised student teaching experience.  The program also integrates the pre-engineering requirements of Project Lead The Way throughout the curriculum. Through a unique agreement between PLTW and the College of Technology in May 2005 technology teacher education graduates were the first in the nation to receive PLTW pre-engineering teaching certificates with their Purdue University diploma in technology education.  This provides Purdue University graduates with the competencies to teach the PLTW courses of Gateway to Technology, Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Engineering Design and Development.  These PLTW courses have been approved by the Indiana Department of Education as part of the state’s technology education curriculum.  The Engineering/Technology Teacher Education Program was recognized by the Association for Career and Technical Education – Engineering and Technology Education Division as the nation’s outstanding program in 2004 and 2006.

Resources

Full-time faculty holding doctorate degrees and teaching credentials teach the majority of the technology education undergraduate courses.  Courses are taught in both the College of Technology’s state-of-the-art laboratories and the new DEPCO, LLC. Engineering/Technology Education Laboratory that is designed to emulate a contemporary middle-level environment.

Activities

Purdue University is one of only five land-grant universities to have a Technology Education Collegiate Association (TECA) Chapter. Engineering/technology teacher education majors compete in both regional and national TECA activities. Purdue University’s TECA Chapter also sponsors a Grand Prix racecar. The Engineering/Technology Teacher Education Program sponsors a study abroad program with Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. Engineering/technology teacher education majors also have the opportunity to become members of Epsilon Pi Tau, the honorary for professionals in technology.

State of the Art Laboratories

A new "hybrid" laboratory links the teaching profession with technical knowledge. The new lab was designed to imitate a contemporary middle school education setting. The lab consists of 12 self contained learning units covering the four content areas of technology education; communications, construction, manufacturing, and power, energy, and transportation technology. Additionally, the lab provides a materials and processing area that allows students to develop and construct prototypes and conduct problem-solving activities.

Faculty Expertise

All faculty in the technology teacher education program:

• Hold doctorates in industrial/technology education
• Hold professional teaching licenses for technology education
• Have public school teaching experience
• Are Project Lead the Way affiliate professors

Innovative Technical Coursework

Technology education majors complete the following technical courses throughout their undergraduate program of study.

• Teaching Design and Communications Technology
• Introduction to Computer Graphics Technology
• Teaching Construction Technology
• Teaching Civil Engineering and Architecture
• Teaching Manufacturing Technology
• Computer Integrated Manufacturing
• Teaching Power, Energy, and Transportation Technology
• Electricity Fundamentals
• Technical Electives
  • Industrial Design
  • Video Production
  • Wood Products Manufacturing
  • Welding Technology
  • Digital Fundamentals
  • Aircraft Electrical Theory
  • Residential Construction
  • Graphics for Manufacturing
  • Graphics for Civil Engineering
  • Problem Solving in Manufacturing
  • Manufacturing Processes
  • Polymer Materials and Processes

Job Outlook

• About 5,000 technology education teachers will be needed nationally this year
• Indiana will require more than 50 technology education teachers this year
• The starting salary range for graduates with a bachelor's degree is $25,142 - $33,800
• 100% job placement rate within 6 months of graduation.

Project Lead the Way

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a national non-profit organization established to help schools give students the knowledge they need to excel in high-tech fields. PLTW provides certified middle and high schools with engineering and engineering technology curricula that affords students the opportunity to earn college credit.

High school students may transfer 12 credit hours of their PLTW coursework to Purdue University at no cost. The following courses are transferable for college credit:

• IT 101 Biotechnical Engineering
• IT 102 Aerospace Engineering
• IT 103 Civil Engineering and Architecture
• IT 105 Introduction to Engineering Design
• IT 106 Digital Electronics
• IT 107 Principles of Engineering
• IT 108 Computer Intergrated Manufacturing

The technology education program at Purdue University was the first in the nation to integrate PLTW competencies into its program. Technology education graduates receive a Project Lead the Way certificate, along with their Purdue University diploma and Indiana teaching license.

Engineering / Technology Teacher Education Degree Plan of Study

In order to complete the TE degree, you need to have 123 credit hours. The distribution of course requirements in specific areas is shown below:

Distribution of course requirements in specific areas
English, Communication and Humanities	17%
Mathematics and Physical Sciences	10%
Education Courses	18%
Supervised Teaching	10%
Technical Courses	27%
Electives (Technical and other)	18%

Typically, the plan of study is as follows:

Semester 1
IT 272 Foundations of Technology Ed.	3
ENGL 106 English Composition	4
MA 153 Algebra	3
COM 114 Fund. of Speech Com.	3
Technical Elective	3
CREDIT HOURS	16

Semester 2
IT 276 Teaching Design and Comm.  Tech.	3
MA 154 Trigonometry	3
CGT 110 Technical Graphics Comm.	3
SOC 100 Introductory Sociology	3
Technical Elective	3
CREDIT HOURS	15

Semester 3
IT 275 Teaching Power, Energy, and  Transportation Technology	3
EDCI 270 Introduction to Educational Technology	2
EDCI 271 Classroom Application of Educational Technology	1
EDFA 200 History and Philosophy of Education	3
Science Selective**	3
Technical Elective	3
CREDIT HOURS	15

Semester 4
IT 277 Teaching Manufacturing Tech	3
EDCI 205 Exploration of Teach. as a Career	3
EDCI 285 Multiculturalism and Education	3
PSY 120 Elementary Psychology	3
Technical Elective	3
CREDIT HOURS	15

Semester 5
IT 278 Teaching Construction Tech.	3
EDPS 265 The Inclusive Classroom 2	3
EDPS 235 Learning and Motivation	3
ECET 214 Electricity Fundamentals	3
International Understanding Selective	3
CREDIT HOURS	15

Semester 6
IT 371 Instructional Planning and Eval.	3
EDCI 450 Techniques of Coordination of Cooperative Vocational Education	2
MFET 400 Computer Integrated Manuf.	3
COM 315 Speech Comm of Tech Info*	3
PHYS 218 General Physics	4
CREDIT HOURS	15

Semester 7
IT 472 Methods of Teaching Tech. Education	3
IT 471 Managing the Tech. Ed. Lab.	3
IT 372 Teaching Civil Engineering Arch	3
ENGL 421 Technical Writing*	3
Science Selective**	3
CREDIT HOURS	15

Semester 8
EDCI 498G Supervised Teaching	16
CREDIT HOURS	16

Total 123 Credit Hours 

*  These courses are recommended but other courses may be taken in their place.

1 Block I must be taken together.

2 Block II must be taken together

** Science selective is any of the following: BIOL, CHM, EAS, PHYS. Note: no FNR or ENTM courses are acceptable.