If I, as a teacher, have a choice, why would I participate in the PLTW program?

If you are a new or experienced teacher of math, science, technology, or some other subject and are interested in participating in a professionally rewarding, stimulating, and dynamic new engineering/engineering technology program which is expanding rapidly, Project Lead The Way is for you.

Consider the elements of the program: pre-assessment institute training, summer training at one of PLTW's National Training Centers throughout the United States, training and networking when you teach PLTW courses in the Middle School or High School, access to the latest software programs in digital electronics, robotics, manufacturing processes, and much, much more. In addition, PLTW will teach you the course you will be teaching, following a stimulating, student group approach.

You will be as excited as your students in teaching PLTW courses; survey results prove it. Your district will provide you with a laptop computer which meets PLTW specifications for the summer institute. You may also earn college credit at participating colleges/universities for the PLTW courses. Because the PLTW program involves specific standards and expectations, you will have direct contact through the school's Partnership Team to meet with representatives of industry and higher education to discuss the latest needs in engineering and engineering technology. In short, our research has shown that PLTW courses have significantly changed teachers' perceptions of themselves and the subjects they teach.

Why must I take a self-assessment test before I attend the summer institute?

PLTW courses are challenging. You will be learning a lot of information and pedagogy in two weeks during the summer institute. Even if you just graduated from college, there may be certain pre-requisite content for the PLTW course which you have not had. Once those areas are identified, it is the responsibility of the school district to provide assistance in these areas. The rigorous summer program, referred to as "boot camp" by the many successful PLTW teachers, will be easier if you are prepared.

Must I follow the PLTW course and pedagogy or may I make adjustments?

PLTW establishes the content and pedagogy to meet its high standards in whatever school or in whatever state these courses are taught. If PLTW fails to meet its standards, PLTW will change the content through teacher involvement; after program updates, the content and/or pedagogy may be modified to reflect updates.

How may I become involved in teaching PLTW courses?

Become knowledgeable of the PLTW program, standards, requirements, and experience by reviewing this website and by downloading examples of the self-assessment or the content. Contact your principal to express your interest in introducing PLTW courses to your district. Once that begins, other opportunities will become available, such as, visiting schools in the PLTW network.

How many PLTW courses may I teach?

There are six courses presently (more are being added) for grades 9 - 12; the Middle School program may be taught in one year or may be spread through a unit approach through grades 6 - 8. Normally, a teacher would attend a two-week training program and teach that course in September; it is possible to learn two courses in the summer and teach them in September. Experience has shown that enrollment in PLTW courses expands rapidly. Depending on the size of your school, it is possible for you to be teaching one or two courses in the school year, such as Principles of Engineering and Introduction to Engineering Design, the entry level courses

What credit may I receive toward my Masters in Technology?

The simple answer is it would depend on where you are pursuing the degree. For example, Rochester Institute of Technology teaches PLTW courses in the summer; they view the challenging courses differently from a college which is unaware of PLTW. PLTW, however, is actively introducing many institutions to the courses and programs in hopes that more doors will open to you.

What new PLTW courses will be introduced in the next year or two?

In addition to Civil Engineering and Architecture, PLTW will introduce two new courses: Biotechnical Engineering and Aerospace Technology.

What teaching resources does PLTW provide to all PLTW teachers?

Three new documents have been developed for your use; all of them may be downloaded from the Teacher Log-in section of the website. The three are(1) Effective Teaching Strategies; (2) How to Use the PLTW Curriculum; and (3) Assessment Handbook which focuses on writing course assessments.

How may I get fast answers to my questions once I begin teaching a PLTW course?

All PLTW teachers become members of an online Listserv. Anytime you have a question, go to the website, type in your question, and receive an answer from other teachers and/or from PLTW’s Director of Technology.

Where may I receive answers to students’ questions about a future in engineering?

Encourage students to visit PLTW’s Links on the website. There are nearly 40 links on engineering for a General Audience, For Educators, For Girls/Women, and For Minorities. They introduce students to a variety of careers in engineering, to professional engineering organizations, to summer programs and contests, to audio interviews of engineers, and much more for research topics and personal interest.