The Teacher Recruitment Crisis: Examining Influential Recruitment Factors from a United States Technology and Engineering Teacher Preparation Program

Decades of declining enrollment trends and additional program closures of Technology and Engineering (T&E) teacher preparation programs in the United States (US) continue to raise concerns about the trajectory and sustainability of the profession. These concerns are not insular to the US though as other countries have also presented data indicating a T&E teacher shortage crisis. In attempts to address these concerning trends, T&E teacher preparation programs in the US have implemented an amalgam of creative recruitment strategies. However, the data continues to show a downward trend in the country, questioning what is the sufficiency of these efforts and which are the most influential? This study surveyed 51 students enrolled in a T&E teacher preparation program in the eastern US to determine which recruitment methods had the greatest influence on their decision to enroll in the program. The findings revealed that face-to-face interactions with secondary level T&E educators, alumni, T&E teacher education faculty members, and an interest in hands-on hobbies related to T&E education were found to have a statistically significant influence on students’ decision to enroll in the T&E teacher preparation program. A number of recruitment factors such as secondary school counselors, brochures, and social media platforms did not have a significant influence on students’ enrollment decision. Recommendations and implications for T&E teacher preparation programs, teacher educators, program alumni, researchers, secondary level T&E teachers, administrators, and school counselors are provided to help countries facing a similar T&E teacher shortage crisis.

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Work Title The Teacher Recruitment Crisis: Examining Influential Recruitment Factors from a United States Technology and Engineering Teacher Preparation Program
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Tyler S. Love
  2. Zachary J. Love
Keyword
  1. Technology and engineering education
  2. Design and technology education
  3. Teacher recruitment
  4. Teacher preparation
  5. Teacher shortage
  6. Integrated STEM education
License CC BY 4.0 (Attribution)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. International Journal of Technology and Design Education
Publication Date March 30, 2022
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
Deposited January 03, 2022

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    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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    • Springer
    • International Journal of Technology and Design Education
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    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
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Version 4
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  • Created
  • Updated Publisher Identifier (DOI), Related URLs Show Changes
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
    • 10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
    Related URLs
    • https://www.springer.com/journal/10798
    • https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
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Version 5
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    Publication Date
    • 2022
    • 2023
  • Deleted Love & Love 2022 IJTDE In Press.pdf
  • Added Love & Love 2023 IJTDE Accepted Version.pdf
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword, Publisher Identifier (DOI), Related URLs, and 1 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Technology and Engineering Education, Design and Technology Education, Teacher Recruitment, Teacher Preparation, Teacher Shortage, Integrated STEM Education
    • Technology and engineering education, Design and technology education, Teacher recruitment, Teacher preparation, Teacher shortage, Integrated STEM education
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • 10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
    • https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
    Related URLs
    • https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4
    Publication Date
    • 2023
    • 2022-03-30
  • Renamed Creator Tyler S. Love Show Changes
    • Tyler Love
    • Tyler S. Love
  • Added Creator Zachary J. Love