Teachers Go Back to School for Engineering
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 @04:18pm CDT
AMARILLO -- Not enough Texas high school students are choosing to study engineering in college. That could mean big problems for our state down the road. Engineering is big business and big business means jobs. Without enough qualified engineers that work could be lost to other states or even countries.
To combat the problem teachers are going back to school. They're learning to get their kids excited about engineering. Texas Tech is one of the schools they're turning to.
"It's a way of thinking, and working so to know apply chemistry, biology, and physics in a way that's relevant," said Susan Talkmitt.
She's a science teacher for science teachers. She works at the T-STEM Center. That's short for Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Center. It's at Texas Tech. The T-STEM Centers part of a Texas initiative to motivate and prepare students for careers in science and engineering. They do it by teaching teachers how to teach.
"To truly prepare our students for the careers of the 21st century, we need to give them the tools to be able to address the problem," Talkmitt said.
Many think kids are ignoring engineering because they don't understand what it is.
"There is a big shortage of engineering, especially in water and civil engineering," said Julie Combes.
She teaches high school science. But at the T-STEM Center, she's the student. She's trudging through mud and muck to solve the water problem. In the process, she's learning more than she ever imagined.
"Even for me going to the water plant yesterday, I didn't know there is a shortage of water engineers. And then for me coming back, I'm able to say, 'Here's a career you might be interested in,'" she said.
If you'd like more information on the T-STEM Center at Texas Tech, click here.
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