Identifying Perceptions that Contribute to the Development of Successful Project Lead the Way Pre-engineering Programs in Utah

• Main Author: McMullin, Keith
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 2013
• Subjects: pre-engineering; project lead; utah; Education
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/1486; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2487&context=etd

Many secondary schools in Utah have adopted the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) pre-engineering program. Little research has been conducted in Utah to show how successful these programs are or what factors are perceived to contribute to that success. This research is about defining PLTW program success and identifying factors perceived to improve success. This was accomplished by interviewing career and technical education directors in Utah who have the PLTW program in their districts. Questionnaires were also developed to question PLTW teachers, school administrators, and counselors with PLTW in their schools about factors that might contribute to PLTW program success. A successful PLTW program in Utah was found to be a program that was perceived to meet the goals of implementation, had the ability to attract adequate student enrollment, and was perceived to promote scholarly student achievement. It was found that successful PLTW programs (a) utilize dynamic teachers taking advantage of teacher professional development, (b) capitalize on student interest in the subject and differentiate learning models and environments, (c) utilize a collaborative effort between schools, industry, and community, (d) advertise class offerings and program benefits so students can make wise class choices during registration, and (e) make sure resources and facilities are available for all the curriculum requirements.