Understanding STEM teacher learning in an informal setting: a case study of a novice STEM teacher

Najmeh Keyhani,Mi Song Kim

doi:10.1186/s41039-019-0103-6

Najmeh Keyhani, Mi Song Kim

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-019-0103-6

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Abstract

Research into informal STEM education over the past years has shown that informal learning environments increase students’ learning in STEM. However, how STEM teachers learn in an informal setting remains unclear. Such educators who work in informal settings are not all required to have undergone teacher education or professional development, and their progress may differ from other teachers’ experiences. As a result, it is important to observe and understand the path such teachers take to see how they develop their teacher identities. Drawing upon Baxter Magolda’s (Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote self-development, 2004) self-authorship framework, this qualitative case study explores the progress of one informal STEM teacher throughout her first class by qualitatively analyzing her journals, lesson plans, and artifacts. The teacher’s journey progresses towards self-authorship in a nonlinear way with multiple signs of the epistemological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal dimensions of the framework being deeply interconnected to one another. Implications for STEM teacher education within the context of informal STEM education are discussed.

Highlights

Research on informal STEM education over the last 10 years or so has indicated that informal learning environments help increase students’ learning in STEM (Ghadiri Khanaposhtani, Liu, Gottesman, Shepardson, & Pijanowski, 2018; Mohr-Schroeder et al, 2014)
Understanding STEM teacher learning in informal settings such as STEM centers, science centers, and museums remains an area less talked about in the literature
We found that the progress the teacher in our study shows is in line with Baxter Magolda’s (2004) self-authorship framework

Summary

Introduction

Research on informal STEM education over the last 10 years or so has indicated that informal learning environments help increase students’ learning in STEM (Ghadiri Khanaposhtani, Liu, Gottesman, Shepardson, & Pijanowski, 2018; Mohr-Schroeder et al, 2014). Creating a STEM-literate society is closely linked to education, and a main component of this education is the STEM teachers involved. Emphasis on STEM teacher education is increasing (Du et al, 2019; Milner-Bolotin, 2018; Richmond et al, 2017; Rinke, GladstoneBrown, Kinlaw, & Cappiello, 2016; Terrazas-Marín, 2018; Wright, Balgopal, Sample McMeeking, & Weinberg, 2019) and much research is being carried out on a wide range of aspects related to both pre- and in-service STEM teachers. Understanding STEM teacher learning in informal settings such as STEM centers, science centers, and museums remains an area less talked about in the literature.

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