Dr. Kevin Sutton, an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, received two awards from the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) at its 2023 Annual Conference held April 12-15, 2023, in Minneapolis:
- The Distinguished Technology & Engineering Professional, bestowed by a committee of expert peer reviewers, is one of the highest levels of achievement granted by ITEEA.
- The Dugger Exemplary Collaboration Award is presented to an individual or team making a significant contribution to Technology and Engineering Education through collaboration.
Sutton teaches various courses to prepare teachers and professionals in the career and technical education program. His research surrounds aviation workforce shortages and developing engaging integrative STEM education activities for teachers.
“The Dugger Exemplary Collaboration Award highlights the value of collaboration with talented individuals,” said Sutton.
The team members include Dr. Sharon Bowers (National Institute of Aerospace), Rebecca Jaramillo (National Institute of Aerospace), Laura Doyle (Westfield High School, New Jersey), and Dr. Jeremey Ernst (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University).
“This team came about from the relationships at Virginia Tech where Dr. Dugger used to join seminar class and encourage students in the Integrative STEM Education program,” noted Sutton.
The team of Integrative STEM educators worked collaboratively with educators, universities, industry partners, and other organizations to make hands-on activities accessible for educators and students.
Each activity was intentionally designed and tested to use technology, engineering, and design-based pedagogical approaches to teach STEM content. The activities align with national STEM standards and are available for formal and informal educational environments.
Efforts went into sharing a direction for the platform, developing the materials, and disseminating the resources through scholarly publications, presentations, and teacher training.
The following are examples of this work:
- AeroEducate.org (activities and resources)
- Technology and Engineering Teacher Article
- Elementary STEM Journal Articles
- STEC Presentation 2021
- ITEEA Presentation 2022
- ITEEA STEM Showcase 2022
- Airventure Teacher Day Presentations 2021 and 2022
- NC CTE Teacher Conference Workshop 2022
“Each team member has played a significant role in developing and sharing these resources with educators and students,” said Sutton. “This collaborative effort demonstrates the impact of having a large group of stakeholders work together for the same goal.”
“Significant resources have been put into this project and demonstrate the importance of providing hands-on learning experiences for students for the future of our workforce and economic development,” he added.
Kevin Sutton
