Abstract
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education has received growing attention over the past decade, primarily within the middle and high school levels. This article focuses on the need for STEAM education at the early childhood level. Preschool children have a natural disposition toward science with their sense of curiosity and creativity. This ethnographic research involved professional development for 50 in-service preschool teachers in an urban high-needs area of the northeastern United States. The researcher explored how providing hands-on professional development, consistent support, and rich resources for STEAM lesson implementation into the early childhood curriculum would impact the dispositions, self-efficacy, and rate of implementation for teachers. The study also involved observation of the reception of STEAM instruction by preschool children. Data was collected through pre and post surveys, teacher interviews, and field observations. Findings revealed an increase in positive dispositions and self-efficacy of preschool teachers, however, the rate of implementation of STEAM lessons by the teachers was initially limited. The reception of the STEAM lessons by these high-needs preschool children was phenomenal with high levels of engagement and cooperation. More research needs to be done in the area of STEAM implementation in the PK-12 classrooms to incorporate engineering education.
Highlights
There is a growing need in the United States to produce more skilled laborers in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) (Gomez and Albrecht, 2013; Nugent et al, 2010)
What will the result of providing professional development in STEAM initiatives in high needs schools have on the rate of implementation of STEAM pedagogy in the early childhood classroom? The hypotheses for the study posits that preschool teachers in high-needs schools will show a positive increase in their dispositions, self-efficacy, and rate of implementation regarding STEAM lessons in their classrooms after receiving professional development, in-class support, and needed resources
Fifty preschool teachers participated in the study and attended two days of professional development on implementing STEAM lessons into their preschool curriculum
Summary
There is a growing need in the United States to produce more skilled laborers in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) (Gomez and Albrecht, 2013; Nugent et al, 2010). Middle and high school teachers are trained within their STEM disciplines, at the elementary and early childhood level, teachers have had little or no instruction When faced with this new emphasis on STEAM education in the primary grades, teachers are often intimidated, lack self-efficacy, and reveal negative dispositions as a result of their lack of training (Jamil, Linder and Stegelin, 2018). It resembles one’s contemplation and discernment of their own abilities on a given performance This lack of STEM or STEAM training for elementary and early childhood teachers brings new urgency for quality professional development in light of the newly released Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which emphasize K-12 engineering and technology education. What will the result of providing professional development in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) initiatives in high-needs schools have on the dispositions of early childhood teachers toward STEM as they implement? What will the result of providing professional development in STEAM initiatives in high needs schools have on the rate of implementation of STEAM pedagogy in the early childhood classroom? The hypotheses for the study posits that preschool teachers in high-needs schools will show a positive increase in their dispositions, self-efficacy, and rate of implementation regarding STEAM lessons in their classrooms after receiving professional development, in-class support, and needed resources
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