More than 300 elementary school, middle school and high school teachers from throughout the United States are spending part of their summer at Missouri University of Science and Technology and two other Missouri communities to learn how to teach engineering and biomedical science courses to their students this fall.
The teachers are involved in Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a national effort to get more youth interested in studying engineering and science in college. Missouri S&T is the state affiliate for Project Lead the Way and offers PLTW training in both engineering and biomedical science.
PLTW is a national, non-profit organization that provides engineering and science instructional programs for use in elementary, middle, junior high and high school. Missouri S&T coordinates PLTW programs with more than 350 elementary and secondary education schools throughout the state.
Established in 1997 in 12 high schools in upstate New York, PLTW has grown to a network of more than 5,000 schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 10,500 teachers have been trained in PLTW methods, and more than 600,000 students are enrolled in PLTW courses.
Missouri S&T is one of 52 colleges and universities in the U.S. that offer PLTW training, and one of only 15 that provide PLTW training in biological science.