VESTES


Principal Investigator
Dr. Sharon A. Brusic
Assistant Professor

Need for the Study

Elementary school technology education programs are sprouting around the nation and Virginia is no exception. In addition, the national Standards for Technology Education (Technology For All Americans Project) are due to be released in Spring 2000. These standards call for increased exposure of technology education to all children beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through high school. Despite the efforts of many educators, the task of implementing Technology Education in elementary schools is still sporadic and can be problematic for many reasons, including the lack of prepared teachers to address the content. Moreover, little is known about how elementary school teachers perceive ESTE and how they feel about implementing it. If our efforts to expand ESTE in Virginia and elsewhere are going to be successful, it is essential that we begin to get a handle on elementary teachers’ perspectives.


Goal of the Study

The Virginia Elementary School Technology Education Study (VESTES) is a research project that aims to gather data from selected Virginia elementary school technology education (ESTE) teachers relative to their background and experience, involvement in ESTE, opinions of ESTE, and confidence level with specific aspects of ESTE instruction and content. The goal of the study is to:

  1. Identify factors that affected teachers' initial involvement in ESTE.
  2. Determine what teachers believe to be the primary benefits of ESTE activities for children.
  3. Identify how ESTE activities are being implemented.
  4. Identify factors that teachers believe will be most beneficial for advancing ESTE.
  5. Assess teachers' confidence level relative to various aspects of ESTE content and instruction.
  6. Assess teachers' background and experience relative to ESTE.
  7. Assess teachers' strengths in implementing ESTE activities for children.
  8. Identify physical resources teachers need in implementing ESTE activities.
  9. Identify factors that teachers believe to be the greatest barriers to implementation of ESTE.
The survey is being administered to approximately 120 Virginia elementary school teachers who have completed at least one ESTE course or workshop (post-undergraduate) and who are actively implementing ESTE. Data collection, analysis, and reporting will take place during the 1999-2000 school year.


NOTE: The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is underwriting the costs of copying and mailing surveys for this study.

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