Context Of Secondary Education Research Articles

Syntactic and lexical features of adolescent L2 students’ academic writing

With a premium placed on academic writing in the U.S. secondary education context, adolescent L2 students are expected to develop advanced skills to analyze, interpret, and produce complex texts in a variety of content areas, which require proficiency in academic language. To enhance the academic literacy of developing L2 writers and to meet their linguistic needs, it is crucial to identify the unique language features of their academic writing. This study seeks to examine syntactic and lexical features of the text-based analytical essays written by Spanish-speaking L2 students (7th–12th grades) from a public school in a western state of the United States. Employing manual sentence coding and quantitative measures of selected linguistic variables from Coh- Metrix, we analyzed student texts (N = 86) to identify common linguistic patterns and to examine how these linguistic features predict writing quality. Our findings reveal that sentence boundary issues, lack of syntactic variety, the underuse of sophisticated subordination to show connections between ideas, and low use of advanced vocabulary are common in adolescent L2 students’ writing. The results of regression analyses show that syntactic complexity and lexical sophistication predict human-judged writing quality. Implications for pedagogy to address the linguistic needs of adolescent L2 students are discussed.

Sketching a motivational landscape

Abstract Studies of motivation in bilingual education settings often address questions of differences between learners in bilingual programmes and those in mainstream education. Problematic in this respect is our increasing awareness of the inherent differences between these two learner groups, as learners in bilingual programmes have often chosen or been selected for a bilingual route (Mearns et al., 2017). The study presented here therefore does not seek to compare learners in bilingual and non-bilingual programmes, but rather to explore the nature of language learning motivation within the context of bilingual secondary education (BSE) in the Netherlands. Using a purpose-designed tool reflecting the L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2009), this study investigated trends in motivation across genders, academic tracks and year-groups of nearly 2000 learners. Findings suggest that, although these learners all have bilingual education in common, differences between the motivations of these groups should not be overlooked.

Assessment Practices in K–12 Physical Education in the United States: A Scoping Review of Research, 2000–2020

ABSTRACT Appropriate assessment practices are recognized as a critical part of the learning process and represent a key component of quality physical education. Recent shifts in school reform efforts toward more accountability in the United States and an emerging emphasis on student-centered approaches challenge historical approaches to assessment. Purpose: Therefore, the purpose of this review was to (a) identify research conducted on physical education teachers’ assessment practices during the years 2000–2020, (b) determine the impact of assessment practices on student outcomes, and (c) describe research that explores factors associated with the SHAPE America guidelines for appropriate assessment practices. Method: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-Sc) Checklist guided this review. All related empirical, peer-reviewed, English-language studies conducted in U.S. schools and published since January 1, 2000 qualified for inclusion. Results: A total of 17 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Most used non-experimental methods and were conducted in the secondary (grades 6–12) physical education context. Limited studies examined the relationship between assessment practices and learning outcomes. Recommendations for future research are provided based on the results. Conclusions: A diverse body of studies provides valuable, yet limited evidence related to teacher assessment practices. Systematic research is needed to better understand the impact of teacher assessment practices on student outcomes and to build a stronger foundation for evidence-based recommendations for practice.

Effect of augmented reality on school journalism: A tool for developing communication competencies in virtual environments

AbstractAugmented reality combines virtual and real elements within the same visual environment. It is urgently necessary that augmented reality be incorporated into public education in developing countries. This challenge requires governments to be committed to education. Nevertheless, within our nations, there exists an emerging body of expertise concerning the innovation of educational material utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The objective of this study is to explain how the use of augmented reality in school journalism affects the development of communication skills in virtual environments within the context of public secondary education in Latin America. This quasi‐experimental research study was conducted on two separate groups: an experimental group and a control group. The approach was a mix of qualitative and quantitative methodology. The results differed markedly between the two groups. The students in the experimental group developed the four communication skills in virtual environments at an average level of 95%, and they created an augmented reality magazine. Meanwhile, the control group did not even create a printed publication. It is concluded that the use of augmented reality makes a significant pedagogical contribution to the teaching/learning process of school journalism and that with the help of educational policies, this pedagogical contribution can be replicated in other schools.

Equity and social justice for whom and by whom in contemporary Swedish higher and adult education

This article focuses on the Swedish context of upper and post-upper secondary education provided in two sectors, universities and the Swedish Folk High School. The article is centred on the analysis of the support services offered by fifty-five university and Swedish Folk High School institutional websites to individuals and groups designated as being ‘peripheral’. Taking as a point of departure a ‘practiced policies’ theoretical position, the study focuses on the ‘situated nature’ of institutional policies, that is, how policies become operationalised in local institutional contexts. Of interest is the nature of expectations placed on participants in the provision of support, and the ways in which different target groups are conceptualised and categorised. The findings of this national scale mapping, that build on two ongoing projects concerning equity and social justice, are discussed in terms of fundamental dimensions of democracy that shape students’ opportunities to access upper and post-upper secondary education.

Black educators in (white) settings: Making racial identity visible in Early Childhood Education and Care in England, UK

The participation of Black educators in the UK’s education system has been a source of much debate in recent years. Research indicates having a teaching force that better represents society is critical because of the character, ubiquity, pervasiveness, duration and importance of teaching as a social activity. However, to date, many of the existing studies have taken place in primary, secondary and higher education contexts. The primary purpose of this paper is to draw upon concepts of identity to make Black educator identity visible in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) context. Secondly, this paper aims to contribute to recent developments around mobilising Black studies as an academic discipline by seeking to explore how Black ECEC educators construct their identity through their professional practice. This paper draws on Critical Race Theory and narrative analysis methods to illustrate the experiences of Black ECEC educators. While this paper does not generalise to the experience of all Black educators, it does highlight a much under-researched area and advocates the need for counter-narratives to challenge normative unracialised experiences.

Managing information on the physical education research field: Bibliometric analysis

Background and Study Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the development of scientific production and to map thematic coverage of research in physical education. The research process is focused on the following study questions: (1) how has the research productivity developed in the physical education research field?, (2) who are the main contributors (countries, universities, authors, source titles) to the amassing research output in the field?, (3) what are the leading thematic areas attracting the most attention of the academia?, (4) what are the emerging topics in the research field?
 Material and Methods: The Scopus database was used as a source of bibliometric data for the research sampling process. The research sample (N=9,224) consisted of the publications including the phrase ‘physical education’ in their titles. In order to achieve the aim of the study, we employed bibliometric methods i.e. research profiling and keywords co-occurrence analysis. We conducted general publication profiling to assess the trends in scientific production and to recognize leading contributors to the research field. We applied keywords co-occurrence analysis in order to identify and explore major thematic areas as well as emerging topics within the research field. VOSviewer software was used to support the analysis process and visualize the findings.
 Results: The study shows that physical education is a well-established research field with a long tradition. In the 2010s, it has received an increasing attention of academia which resulted in breakthrough growth in the number of publications indexed in Scopus. The amassing research output is distributed over 26 subject areas. Social Sciences, Medicine and Health Professions are the subject areas grouping the highest number of publications. The leading contributors to the research field are: the most productive country – the United States, the most productive research institution – Loughborough University, the United Kingdom, the most prolific author – David Kirk from the University of Strathclyde, the United Kingdom, the first choice source title – Teoriya i Praktika Fizicheskoy Kultury. Within the physical education research field, there are identified five leading thematic clusters related to: (1) physical education didactics, (2) physical activity of school pupils, (3) physical education of adolescents, (4) human motor competence, (5) physical activity of adults. Emerging topics include the following issues: (1) physical education teachers and their training/education, (2) physical education in the tertiary education context, (3) physical education in the secondary education context.
 Conclusions: The study contributes to better understanding of development patterns in research on physical education. It provides an added value for managing information on scientific productivity in the research field. Through discovering leading thematic areas and emerging topics within the research field, the study points out the issues important both for further research and development of theory as well as for educational and business practice.

Exploring student and teacher usage patterns associated with student attrition in an open educational resource-supported online learning platform

Online learning platforms integrating open educational resources (OERs) are increasingly adopted in secondary education as supplemental resources for teaching and learning. However, students report difficulties sustaining their engagement because of the self-paced nature of OER-supported learning environments. We noted that little attention has been paid to factors related to student perseverance and attrition in the learning environment. Little knowledge about these factors prevents discussion on how to promote OERs as pedagogical tools that complement the formal school curriculum. To address this research gap, we analyzed student- and teacher-level usage data, and demographic information. The purpose was to explore student- and teacher-level factors associated with the duration of student usage in Algebra Nation, an OER-supported online learning platform adopted in many secondary schools. The results revealed that at the student level, student engagement with video lectures, self-assessment, social tools, and additional videos relevant to solved test items significantly predicted student usage duration. At the teacher level, teachers’ use of teacher resources was positively associated with student usage duration. An additional analysis of student and teacher total usage time indicated that, compared with heavy users, light and medium users were more likely to discontinue their engagement in the long term if their teachers did not use the platform. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for promoting student engagement with OER-supported online learning in secondary education contexts.

THE READINESS OF STUDENTS FOR CAREER SELF-MANAGEMENT

Nowadays, several of the global challenges we are facing include the fast pace of life and rapidly occurring changes, therefore when interacting with this changeable life environment it is important for the young people to self-develop, self-manage, as well as be themselves in charge of their personal change and career management. This article studies the latest scientific trends, providing scientific justification to the student readiness for their career self-management. In the process of developing this justification, it was essential to understand the criteria and indicators for the student readiness for their career self-management, in order for the young people to be able to self-assess the said readiness during their entire lifetime. Therefore the aim of the study was to develop the theoretical foundations for the term “student readiness for career self-management” within the context of general secondary education, including both criteria and indicators for the assessment which could in its turn become a methodological foundation for developing methodology for the readiness for career self-management. As a result of this study, the theoretical findings from the scientific literature on the essence and readiness for career self-management were gathered, examined, analysed, systemized and evaluated.

Producción musical y mercado discográfico: homogeneización entre adolescentes y reto para la educación

Las músicas populares urbanas están entre los géneros musicales preferidos por los adolescentes. A pesar del carácter motivacional que tienen, están aún poco presentes en los currículos de Educación Secundaria y, además, suelen ser tratadas de la misma manera que otros estilos musicales. Los modos de producción y de acceso a los géneros musicales populares-urbanos están muy condicionados por los procesos de producción musical y sus manipulaciones sonoras de carácter tecnológico promovidas desde la industria discográfica. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo conocer el grado de manipulación sonora presente en la música de masas para adolescentes y cómo esta influye en cierta homogeneización cultural a través de la construcción social de su identidad. Para ello, se han efectuado entrevistas a cinco productores musicales que han permitido conocer los métodos que tiene la industria discográfica para establecer perfiles homogéneos en los adolescentes a partir de sus prácticas musicales compartidas. A la luz de estos resultados, se plantean posibles buenas prácticas en el contexto de la educación musical en Secundaria que garanticen la consecución de sus objetivos educativos y mejoren nuestro modelo educativo.

Inventing Tomorrow by Laura Nix (review)

Film Review: Inventing Tomorrow 151 Inventing Tomorrow A film directed by Laura Nix (2018) Associate Producers: Elease Lui Stemp and Ann Rogers Fishbowl Films, 1 hour 45 minutes https://www.inventingtomorrowmovie.com Increasingly, we see young climate activists highlighted in the news, and rightly so, for their actions are important and significant. This film is about some less-sung stories of six young heroes working in diverse countries to improve the environmental conditions of their cities through the application of science. Across four countries—from a small Indonesian island to the cities of Hilo, Hawaii; Bangalore, India; and Monterrey, Mexico—we see not only the toxic world young people are inheriting, but also the resolve and dedication they bring to tackling these problems. In the words of Sahithi Pingali, a young scientist from Bangalore: “You see the same issues repeated across the world. It’s inevitably our job as the next generation to tackle this. The people who are approaching this through the eye of science are the people who can fix it and are going to fix it.” This film will appeal to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and environmental educators in both secondary and higher education contexts. It will also appeal to faculty interested in environmental studies, critical sustainability studies, and the sociology of youth empowerment, youth activism, and youth agency. The film is accompanied by free educator guides and youth biographies accessible from the film’s website. Working through separate vignettes in each of four countries, young people converge at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the “science fair of science fairs” in Los Angeles, California. Youth come from a variety of circumstances—from Monterrey youth who will be the first in their family to go to university and who must work long hours while in high school to support their families, to youth from the relative affluence of a suburb of Bangalore who are raised with an acute awareness of the disproportionate effects a wealthy lifestyle can bring to the environment. The environmental issues youth address are also diverse. In Indonesia, two young women devise a filtration system to mitigate the impacts of mining for tin, which is being harvested for cell phones and other technological devices and releases lead into the water. In Hilo, a third-generation Hawaiian investigates the spread of arsenic from a 28-year-old industrial containment pond that released its toxic waters after two tsunamis hit. In Bangalore, a small team explores how technology can be used to monitor water quality in what is known as the “Silicon Valley of India,” where contaminated lakes catch fire and foamy detergent water that is released into lakes eventually makes its way across highways as bubbly clouds the size of small cars. In Monterrey, three youth from one of the most industrialized cities of Mexico, tackle issues of air pollution—an issue made more salient after one of their uncles died of respiratory disease—through toxin-absorbing photovoltaic paints. Film Review: Inventing Tomorrow 152 This film’s primary story is about science as a tool for empowerment and action, with youth taking on the problems they see in their communities and receiving recognition and supports to advance their work. The film shows a sense of purpose as well as resolve in the face of some of the most grueling aspects of science, including when adult judges circulate during the ISEF fair, asking hard questions with poor language translators. Other themes, more subtly presented, include differences in educational equity between the global north and global south, transnational experiences of education between Los Angelinos and Monterrey youth, and many poignant moments that show the importance of cultural and intergenerational values in shaping young people’s approach to the application of science. Inventing Tomorrow shows the victories of science, with the young woman from Bangalore winning awards at ISEF and pursing solutions at the University of Michigan with graduate students and faculty in environmental engineering. I cannot help but also feel the disappointment for those who did not win at ISEF, from Monterrey and Indonesia, and to reflect on the extreme challenges youth face in advocating for change against nearly every barrier imaginable—ageism...

Instrumentos de evaluación de la cultura emprendedora

Se presenta el proceso de construcción y resultados de cuatro instrumentos que reúnen requisitos psicométricos de fiabilidad, validez y normalización y evalúan la cultura emprendedora (perciba y deseada) en contextos de educación secundaria en relación a sus cuatro componentes: la finalidad de la educación, procesos de enseñanza, procesos de aprendizaje y escenario educativo, en alumnos y profesores. La muestra estuvo conformada en la fase piloto por 173 alumnos de dos centros educativos públicos (27.7% y el 72.3% respectivamente). El 52.6% eran hombres. En relación al curso, la muestra estuvo conformada por alumnado de 1º de ESO (72.3%) y de 4º de ESO (27.7%), con edades comprendidas entre los 11 y los 17 años, siendo la media 12.99 y la desviación típica 1.73. La muestra del profesorado estuvo formada por 63 participantes de tres centros educativos públicos (42.9%, 42.9% y 14.3% respectivamente). De los docentes, el 33.3% eran hombres y el 66.7% eran mujeres, con edades comprendidas entre los 31 y los 68, siendo la media 50.49 y la desviación típica 6.79.La muestra empírica ha estado formada por 2308 discentes (47.7% hombres) de 18 centroseducativos, tanto públicos como concertados y privados. La muestra de discentes estuvo formada por estudiantes desde 1º ESO hasta 2º Bachillerato, con una media de edad de 14. 84 y una desviación típica de 1.77. La muestra del profesorado se compuso de 176 (32.4% hombres) participantes de 16 centros tanto públicos como concertados. La media de edad fue 47.92, con una desviación típica de 7.74. Se agrupó a los docentes en ramas educativas: 32.4% de Ciencias; 66.5% de Letras y 3% de Arte. Los resultados obtenidos de fiabilidad, validez factorial y confirmatoria y baremos permiten con las garantías psicométricas pertinentes su aplicación tanto en profesores como en alumnos en contextos de educación secundaria.

Investigating the development of masculine identities in physical education

ABSTRACT This research examines the masculine identities and experiences of males within the subject of PE. Specifically, it examines the masculine identities of two groups of boys in the Scottish secondary physical education (PE) context: Secondary 1 (S1: age 12–13) and Secondary 4 (S4: age 15–16). Drawing from Hegemonic Masculinity Theory and Inclusive Masculinity Theory, this research set out to explore how masculine identities co-exist and develop within the same context, building on previous research that has examined masculine identities in the Scottish PE context. To do so, guided by key principles of ethnography and using qualitative methods, S1 and S4 boys were observed in their PE lessons for a period of 3 months. In the third month, four pupils in each class volunteered to take part in semi-structured group interviews. The results from our thematic analysis indicated that both groups performed different masculine identities. The S1 boys that were observed and interviewed adopted inclusive masculinities, where they seemed able to display a range of gendered behaviours without fear of stigmatisation or marginalisation. Conversely, the majority of the S4 boys observed and all of the boys that were interviewed embodied an exclusive form of masculinity, using their bodies to allow them to enact a range of masculine behaviours while maintaining their superior position in the social hierarchy. This article highlights the need for more research into the construction of masculine identities as pupils navigate PE and school. We also suggest that teachers can be more pro-active in maintaining broad, inclusive and critical conceptions of PE as pupils progress from the junior to the senior years.

A REVIEW OF THE USE OF STORYTELLING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ORAL PROFICIENCY IN EFL TEACHING

This review examines how storytelling has been applied in EFL teaching in secondary and higher education to enhance students’ oral proficiency. It aims to offer some insight into using storytelling as an effective tool for designing speaking classes in EFL contexts. The review found that as a teaching strategy, storytelling can be effective in promoting oral proficiency in students of English in both secondary and higher education contexts. The main difference lies with teachers as the main storytelling designers in secondary education and students in higher education. Similarly, in secondary education the application of storytelling tends to happen in the classroom, while in higher education, storytelling is more likely to be used outside the classroom by creating digital stories. Based on the analysis of the implementation of storytelling in both contexts, the review closes with some guidelines for the application of storytelling in EFL teaching. Article visualizations:

Exploring dialogic space: a case study of a religious education classroom

Dialogic approaches to pedagogy have received increased attention in educational research in the past decades. Despite the substantial body of research on the quality of classroom talk, the secondary education context still remains less explored. The aim of the paper is to contribute to our understanding of dialogic practices in this context with a particular focus on: (a) the creation of dialogic space, and (b) the enactment of dialogic interactions in this space. The paper presents a case study on a Year 13 Religious Education classroom in the south of England, United Kingdom. Data are drawn from a videorecorded lesson and audiorecorded teacher interviews. A qualitative analysis of the data revealed the importance of certain factors in creating dialogic space, including teacher instructions, activity type, and teacher dialogic strategies. It is argued that being conducive to dialogue, the context of Religious Education can be studied further. With growing evidence coming from this context, pedagogical guidelines can be created for teachers who wish to develop a more dialogic pedagogy.

Ciberacoso escolar: experiencias y propuestas de jóvenes universitarios

El rápido crecimiento de las TIC ha traído consigo múltiples beneficios, pero, sin duda alguna, también muchos perjuicios, siendo uno de ellos el ciberacoso, el cual está tomando cada día más fuerza en nuestra sociedad. El interés principal en este estudio fue conocer la percepción y experiencia de un grupo de jóvenes universitarios sobre el ciberacoso en su etapa estudiantil en el instituto de educación secundaria. Para la realización de esta investigación, hemos contado con la participación de 864 estudiantes de seis universidades del noreste de España. Se ha utilizado una metodología cuantitativa de carácter no experimental de tipo encuesta, concretamente se utilizó un muestreo no probabilístico, accidental o incidental, condicionado por la disponibilidad de los sujetos a participar en el estudio. La mayoría del alumnado consultado en nuestro estudio indicó no haber sufrido ciberacoso ni haberlo ejercido en su etapa estudiantil en el Instituto tanto en centros públicos como privados. La agresividad escrita (insultos/ofensas o amenazas) fue el tipo de acción violenta más habitual entre los agresores, al igual que la difusión de información personal o de rumores. La mayoría de jóvenes, que sufrieron acoso en el Instituto en nuestro estudio, reconocieron que no se sintieron motivados para acudir a clase en su momento, ni para desarrollar sus estudios de manera adecuada, aislándose socialmente.

Facilitating youth development through service-learning: Social justice implications for underserved youth

The implications of how service-learning participation can enhance civic knowledge and engagement among young people are discussed at length in the existing literature. However, research that explores the utility of formalizing service-learning as a means of enriching civic education for underserved and minority youth is lacking, particularly within the context of secondary education. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the discourse around increasing the use of service-learning programs as a means of supplementing existing methods that facilitate well-rounded youth development (e.g. school curricula, afterschool programs, mentorship) and enhance well-being among underserved youth within a social justice framework. The aims of this article are met by first illuminating the risk factors facing minority and underserved youth. The social justice implications of service-learning participation for youth are then discussed. Finally, the feasibility of utilizing service-learning as a protective factor for marginalized youth is explored.

The use of secondary school student ratings of their teacher’s skillfulness for low-stake assessment and high-stake evaluation

Previous studies in higher education have shown that the reliability of student ratings of teaching skill increases if multiple ratings by different students are aggregated. This study examines the generalizability of these findings to the context of secondary education. Also, it seeks to validate these findings by comparing reliability levels estimated by the routinely used nested design with those estimated using a more complex design. The sample consisted of 410 students from 17 classes rating 63 teachers working at eight schools across the Netherlands. Using the nested design, the study replicates findings of previous studies in higher education. The findings illustrate how the reliability level of secondary school students’ ratings increases with an increasing number of students. However, these replicated reliability levels were not validated by the more complex design which provided lower estimates. This indicates that the nested design may not provide accurate estimations of rating reliability.

Looking back into trans persons’ experiences in heteronormative secondary physical education contexts

ABSTRACTBackground: School is one of the primary settings where non-gender conformer children and adolescents emerge as vulnerable groups at high risk of suffering violence and harassment. Within schooling contexts, embodied experiences in physical education (PE) may become particularly problematic for trans students. However, there is little research focusing on trans persons’s experiences in PE. The purpose of this paper is to gather memories and impressions of a group of adult trans persons on their experiences in secondary PE.Theoretical framework: The concept of heteronormativity is used as a theoretical framework to provide insights and understanding to trans persons’s experiences in PE. It is used to characterize inequalities and hierarchies derived from the intersection of the dualistic logic of gender binarism with other social categories and ideologies. Heteronormative discourses also act regulating the way of looking at and over trans persons’ bodies, categorizing some of them as queer or abject.Participants and methodology: Study is based on semi-structured interviews to nine participants (five trans women and four trans men) from 23 to 62 years of age. A thematic analysis was carried out in order to flexibly and directly identify interpretative patterns of meaning within data, as well as to open them to interpretative frameworks. The categories were grouped into four themes best gathering the experiences of participants in PE.Results and discussion: (1) Hindering desired gender: In daily practices, participants felt in ‘the middle’ of activities, spaces and gender groups, experiencing aloofness, isolation and loneliness. Participants complained about the fact that they could not perform gender segregated activities with their desired gender group. PE teachers played an important role in supporting heteronormative system. (2) Preferences, aversions and opportunities: All participants experienced hegemonic forms of gender and sexuality linked to PE programme activities in different ways. For most trans boys, sport-based PE was their favourite subject, while trans girls found it particularly negative and demotivating. Exceptionally, some aesthetic and dance activities were recalled as nearly non-heterosexual practices. (3) Confronting transgression. Situations of stigmatization and bullying in PE were frequent as a result from situations in which gender norms were eventually transgressed. Teachers impeded any attempt of trans persons to overcome heteronormativity in PE lessons. (4) Intimacy struggles: Body intimacy was crucial for participants. Different strategies were used for the search of intimacy. Changing rooms were the most problematic spaces for trans students in educative contexts. The worse trans participants felt about their bodies, the more uneasy they felt in these facilities.Conclusions and final comments: Heteronormative contexts strongly determined trans persons’ experiences in PE. Trans participants, especially those not performing gender conforming practices, were abjectified in PE lessons. This situation generated multiple forms of exclusion and rejection, as well as episodes of harassment. However, some practices counteracted the dominance of the heteronormative system, showing their potential to destabilize this ideology in PE.

STEM education in the twenty-first century: learning at work—an exploration of design and technology teacher perceptions and practices

Teachers’ knowledge of STEM education, their understanding, and pedagogical application of that knowledge is intrinsically linked to the subsequent effectiveness of STEM delivery within their own practice; where a teacher’s knowledge and understanding is deficient, the potential for pupil learning is ineffective and limited. Set within the context of secondary age phase education in England and Wales (11–16 years old), this paper explores how teachers working within the field of design and technology education acquire new knowledge in STEM; how understanding is developed and subsequently embedded within their practice to support the creation of a diverse STEM-literate society. The purpose being to determine mechanisms by which knowledge acquisition occurs, to reconnoitre potential implications for education and learning at work, including consideration of the role which new technologies play in the development of STEM knowledge within and across contributory STEM subject disciplines. Underpinned by an interpretivist ontology, work presented here builds upon the premise that design and technology is an interdisciplinary educational construct and not viewed as being of equal status to other STEM disciplines including maths and science. Drawing upon the philosophical field of symbolic interactionism and constructivist grounded theory, work embraces an abductive methodology where participants are encouraged to relate design and technology within the context of STEM education. Emergent findings are discussed in relation to their potential to support teachers’ educational development for the advancement of STEM literacy, and help secure design and technology’s place as a subject of value within a twenty-first Century curriculum.