K-5 Teachers' Perceptions of Engineering Education and Perceived Barriers to Teaching Engineering

The Next Generation Science Standards call for the infusion of engineering content and practices within elementary science curriculum. This mixed methods study explored elementary teachers’ perceptions about incorporating engineering within K-5 classrooms as well as the barriers they perceive to doing so. Results indicated that most elementary teachers support the inclusion of engineering within the science standards for elementary grades. Teachers describe lack of preservice and in-service training, lack of background knowledge, lack of materials, lack of time for planning and implementing lessons, and lack of administrative support as barriers to implementing engineering activities within their classrooms.