STEM Professional Development Research Articles

STEM professional development of early childhood teachers

AbstractEarly childhood teachers are critical in promoting young children's STEM learning. However, research indicates that early childhood teachers are unfamiliar with STEM and do not have confidence in their abilities and skills to implement STEM education. Despite this issue, previous research has focused less on early childhood teachers' STEM professional development. This mixed‐method study investigated the effects of the STEM Professional Development Program (SPDP) on 12 early childhood teachers' attitudes toward STEM education, STEM practices, self‐efficacy, and instructional beliefs, which were used as pretest and posttest measures. The quantitative dimension of the study investigated the effects of the SPDP on early childhood teachers' attitudes and STEM practices, self‐efficacy, and instructional beliefs towards STEM education by using the pretest and posttest only, without a control group design. The qualitative dimension, participating teachers' experiences, perceptions about the SPDP, and thoughts about the SPDP's influence on their beliefs, self‐efficacy, and attitudes about STEM were explored using phenomenology design. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Results showed that the SPDP positively affected teachers' self‐efficacy for STEM practices, attitudes toward STEM education, and instructional beliefs. Moreover, participating in the SPDP influenced teachers' perspectives on STEM education, supported their learning about STEM content, and increased their awareness of the importance of STEM in early childhood.

Examining S-T-E-M Teachers’ Design of Integrated STEM Lesson Plans

AbstractReform efforts in different parts of the world call for the adoption of integrated approaches to STEM education. However, little is known about how teachers work, as members of learning communities, to design STEM teaching material such as lesson plans. To address this gap in the literature, we examined the design of STEM lesson plans by in-service secondary teachers (n = 26) from all S-T-E-M disciplinary backgrounds who participated as members of a learning community in the context of a 7-month professional development program comprised of 13 small-group sessions. STEM lesson plans were analysed based on the key characteristics of a conceptual framework of integrated STEM, and the teachers’ identified interdisciplinary elements were analysed through the boundary objects framework. The qualitative content analysis produced four main findings: (a) divergencies take place at the disciplinary level when teachers design STEM lesson plans; (b) teachers coming from different disciplines have different positioning regarding specific integrated STEM key characteristics; (c) the type and sequence of instructional activities served as a boundary-design practice; (d) the nature of the boundary objects that teachers identify in order to teach integrated STEM differs according to the discipline. The findings of the study shed light on teachers’ understanding and needs at the disciplinary level and call for specially designed STEM professional development programmes that provide explicit opportunities for disciplinary boundary crossings.

Integrated STEM Teaching: Innovative STEM Training for Preschool and Primary School Teachers

The effective implementation of STEM education relies on qualified and well-educated teachers who employ good practices for integrated STEM education. Quality STEM education equips children with the necessary skills to address 21st-century challenges, playing a critical role in developing critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and responsibility. In this context, preschool and primary school teachers were recommended to attend STEM Professional Development (PD). This study aimed to determine the impact of the EarlySTEM Leader Teacher PD Program on teachers' ability to design STEM lesson plans, using mixed method. Researchers analyzed the STEM lesson plans prepared by preschool and primary school teachers (n=33) who participated in the integrated STEM PD program. All participants who met the graduation criteria were included in the study. The plans were evaluated using the Authentic Problems of Knowledge Society (APoKS) rubric. The findings showed that the Integrated STEM PD program positively influenced teachers' lesson planning skills, specifically when writing the APoKS. The implications of the study were discussed in detail.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Professional Development on Science Learning: A Review

The STEM professional development (STEM PD) programs are important in improving teacher competence in developing STEM-integrated science learning. This study aims to determine the progress of STEM PD programs and effective STEM PD programs in science learning. The methodology used in this study is a systematic literature review conducted through 3 main stages: planning, conducting, and reporting the review. The results of the study stated that the progress of the STEM PD program can be seen in teacher participation, changes in teacher competencies, integration of STEM in the curriculum, improved student skills, and resource enhancement. Furthermore, an effective STEM PD program can be seen from the STEM approach, collaboration and partnerships, use of media and technology, stakeholder support, and sustainability. This study concludes that implementing STEM PD in science learning should be carried out sustainably so that teachers will continue to be exposed to the integration of STEM in science learning. STEM PD implemented with commitment and appropriate efforts will improve teacher competence and student interest in STEM-based science learning.

STEM professional development program for gifted education teachers: STEM lesson plan design competence, self-efficacy, computational thinking and entrepreneurial skills

This study examined the impact of a 10-month STEM professional development (PD) program on 25 teachers working with gifted students. The program aimed to enhance pedagogical knowledge and competencies. Findings indicated significant positive improvements in teachers' STEM self-efficacy, computational thinking, and entrepreneurship skills. The PD program also had a direct positive influence on the quality of lesson plans. The study suggests that effective PD design should incorporate scientific inquiry, engineering design processes, computational thinking, entrepreneurship skills, and the development of teachers' self-efficacy for successful implementation of PD outcomes in STEM education.

Deciphering Kyrgyz science and mathematics teachers’ STEM teaching readiness

This study explored the interdependence of knowledge-base in teaching, STEM career awareness, teaching efficacy, attitudes, and STEM teaching readiness. Using a Likert-scale instrument adapted from literature, 367 public high school science and mathematics teachers from Osh and Naryn regions participated in the study. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling using SmartPLS revealed that STEM teaching readiness could be predicted by knowledge-base in teaching and STEM career awareness, and teaching efficacy and attitudes can be predicted by knowledge base in teaching. Teaching efficacy and attitudes did not have a significant direct effect on STEM teaching readiness, nor a mediating effect between knowledge-base in teaching and STEM teaching readiness and between STEM career awareness and STEM teaching readiness. The hypothesized model may inform relevant policy-making bodies and can be used in developing and implementing a locally-relevant and context-specific STEM professional development for science and mathematics teachers.

Hungry for more: early childhood educators’ perspectives on STEM education, teaching and professional development

ABSTRACT Increasingly, educational policies and curricula recommend that young children experience STEM learning opportunities within Early Childhood (EC) settings. Despite greater demands placed on EC educators, their opinions on STEM have seldom been sought. This study investigated EC educators’ (1) interest in STEM education (2) opinions about the appropriateness of EC STEM education (3) ratings of their STEM self-efficacy and (4) STEM professional development preferences. An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed in the Republic of Ireland, with 198 complete responses received. The respondents, many of whom were highly qualified and experienced educators, reported being interested in STEM and felt it was important, though notably, some believed only for older children. Two-thirds felt their preservice education, which included mathematics (43%); science (30%); technology (17%); and engineering (10%), had not prepared them to support STEM. Knowledge of STEM policy was also limited. Despite this, high levels of STEM confidence were reported. Challenges reported included a lack of resources, support and guidance, and STEM knowledge. 96% of respondents expressed interest in attending EC STEM professional development and a variety of approaches to learning were identified. Implications for policy and practice are suggested.

STEM professional development programs for science and mathematics primary school teachers: A systematic literature review

In order to compete worldwide, the school system must be transformed by raising educational standards by implementing the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education approach. The purpose of the primary school curriculum is closely aligned with the teaching goals of STEM education, which is to develop each child’s full potential, foster an interest in learning and promote children to develop skills in life. Training qualified science and mathematics primary teachers through professional development (PD) programs is necessary to raise young children who are knowledgeable and skilled in STEM. Therefore, a systematic literature review examined the significance and implementation of STEM PD programs for science and mathematics primary school teachers. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were utilized to find articles written and published between 2018 and 2022. This review gathered 22 articles and produced 14 subthemes under the main themes: Significance and the implementation of STEM PD for primary school teachers. Recommendations for further research are stated at the end of this paper.

STEM Integrated Curriculums in Early Childhood Education: An Exploration of Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs and Practices

Young children are perfectly adapted to learning STEM concepts. A growing body of research indicates that experiences with science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are critical in preparing young children to think critically, creatively, and solve problems. These are valuable skills young children need to succeed in school, work, and life. This raising awareness of STEM education needs has led to a push for STEM integration in early childhood (EC) settings while giving limited attention to the teaching of STEM in the EC field and targeted STEM professional development programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the EC teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and practices about STEM integrated curriculums and STEM teaching in pre-K settings after attending a series of STEM integration teacher professional development programs. The data collected from interviews with EC teachers revealed that they were positively impacted by the STEM-integrated professional development, resources, and materials available to implement the STEM units. According to the teachers’ beliefs, children were also positively impacted by their teacher’s professional learning and high confidence in teaching STEM-related topics and activities. A discussion of the findings and implications for future research and practice is presented.

STEM professional learning in early childhood education: a scoping review

ABSTRACT Initiatives aimed at improving STEM education have largely focused on school-based programs, with the majority of STEM professional development targeting primary and secondary school educators. However, there is growing interest in STEM education in the early childhood years. This paper reviews the available evidence to explore the extent to which early childhood STEM professional learning programs are represented in the research literature. The review examines: 1. The emergence of research focused on STEM professional learning for early childhood educators; 2. The characteristics of these professional learning programs; and 3. The research evidence for the efficacy and impact of these programs. Using a scoping review methodology, our search yielded only 22 papers for analysis, with most of the studies published in the last seven years of the review period. Different views and definitions of STEM were evident across the studies, with few explicitly describing the integration of the four STEM disciplines. The majority of papers reported a workshops/in-service training approach. Unanimously, the 22 studies reported positive outcomes from the participants’ engagement with early childhood STEM professional learning. However, the small number of research papers available for review confirms the need to build the evidence base for early childhood STEM professional learning.

Expressed Willingness of STEM Teachers to Teach Engineering

Teaching engineering at the middle and high school levels has been a topic of discussion among scholars regarding the challenges it creates. One of the most critical challenges at the school level is identifying qualified teaching staff to lead engineering courses. The present study explored teachers’ willingness to lead an engineering course and the reasons behind their willingness or unwillingness to do so. The study involved 434 participants, who were enrolled in a STEM professional development program and were diverse regarding their teaching subjects, the grade levels they taught, and the locations of their schools in Turkey. In this mixed-methods study, researchers collected data at the beginning of an online professional development program. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were analyzed with a data-driven codebook. Almost two-thirds of the participants were keen to teach an engineering course, yet differences were observed according to the subjects they taught and their professional backgrounds. Most of the mathematics teachers, the group with the highest percentage of willingness, seemed to have a holistic approach towards engineering, with half emphasizing collaboration between teachers and engineers. The study provided further insights into how initial teacher training and continuous professional development programs can be structured based on teacher expectations and needs.

Color-Evasive/Conscious? A Content Analysis of How Engineering Faculty Discuss Race and Racism in a U.S.-Based Equity-Focused STEM Professional Development Program

Against a backdrop of calls for increased access and participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the United States have emerged as critical access points for Latina/o/x and other Students of Color. Federal grants can become important levers for building institutional capacity for broadening participation in STEM and transforming HSIs toward better serving Students of Color, specifically as it relates to curricula and pedagogy. In this study, we focus on the engineering faculty at an HSI who are participants in a National Science Foundation-funded, equity-focused professional development program. Operationalizing Bonilla-Silva’s color-evasive racial ideology framework, we use content analysis techniques to explore how engineering faculty discuss race and racism as part of the professional development experience. First, we find that engineering faculty largely rely on color-evasive racial frameworks (i.e., abstract liberalism, minimization of racism) when describing their motivations for participating in the program. Moreover, we find that engineering faculty responses depict a range of surprise and familiarity when reflecting on issues of race and racism. Finally, regardless of prior exposure to module concepts, at the end of the program, the majority of action projects reflect a recognition of race and racism as important.

Impact of STEM Professional Development Sessions on Chinese Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers

STEM only recently became part of the official Chinese public school curriculum in 2017 and suggested to be included in the primary school curriculum in 2018. This study shares findings from 79 Chinese pre-serivice early childhood teachers participating in a variety of hands-on STEM activities over a two week period. A follow-up question session was conducted with the translator as well. This training was offered outside of normal class times as a professional development. Data showed significant differences between the pre- and post- surveys along with strong relationships between main categories. Indications are that the sessions helped to promote the participant’s interest, perception, self-efficacy in STEM, as well as, thoughts toward STEM/science teachers and classes in their current program. Findings most strongly indicated that the sessions aided understanding of STEM and that STEM could be fun in terms of both learning and teaching. Overall, it appeared that the professional development sessions were meaningful for the participants and highlighted STEM practices and concepts in a positive light.

Rural teacher attitudes and engagement with computing and technology

The purpose of this sequential Case Study-Mixed Methods research is to explore rural teacher attitudes toward, approaches to, and engagement with making and computational thinking during STEM professional development and co-teaching learning experiences. Specifically, we examine the professional learning needs of two rural, middle school teachers as they engage technology. Using the lens of cultural historical activity theory, this paper examines the ways in which teacher attitude about computing shifted throughout professional learning and instructional practice. Findings show three broad themes that emerge surrounding teacher attitudes, approaches, and engagement with technology: Anxiety, Independent Learner, and Integration. Additionally, findings suggest that teacher attitude toward technology can be moderated through the means of a more knowledgeable other who scaffolds teacher learning and integration of technology.

University-Community Partnership Model to Support Rural STEM Teaching and Student Engagement

Rural economically disadvantaged communities face unique challenges in engaging students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). School district administrators, teachers, and students do not have access to high-quality STEM opportunities compared to urban schools. This article describes a partnership between a small, private STEM university and a network of school districts scattered across the geographically isolated region of upstate New York. The partnership’s primary goal is to support the teaching and learning of STEM. This is achieved through actively engaging a range of university and community stakeholders in STEM enrichment and professional development. Programming includes summer camps and after-school activities, challenges and competitions that focus on inspiring students to pursue STEM careers, undergraduate and graduate student mentors, and a university curriculum designed to prepare teachers to work in high-need school districts. Activities are supported by the university’s Institute for STEM Education, which fosters collaborations for like-minded faculty and campus members to pursue grant opportunities and connect with community members. The paper describes various program components and how they work to support each other, discusses impacts of the program, and describes ways in which elements can be implemented elsewhere.

Sustainable professional development for STEM teachers in Saudi Arabia

This paper responds to the call for the need to develop professional development practices for leaders, supervisors, teachers, and student guidance within the framework of international standards, particularly in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) vision 2030 (KSA, 2019). The current study aims to identify the obstacles and challenges for implementing sustainable professional development methods for teachers in KSA, who had participated in a ten-month Australian cross-national STEM professional development program. In addition, the teachers also participated in an immersion in Australian schools that lasted for 11 months. This paper reports on a sample of 22 male and female teachers coming from primary and secondary KSA schooling contexts. The participating teachers in the study were those who had participated in the Australian STEM immersion professional learning program in 2019-2020. Drawing from previous studies (Ermeling & Yarbo, 2016; Greene, 2015; Kayi-Aydar & Goering, 2019; Piqueras & Achiam, 2019), we have proposed a framework involving four methods for sustainable professional development for STEM teachers: professional learning communities, communities of practice, action research, and the outside expert. A mixed-methods research design was applied including three methods: individual interviews, open-ended questions to identify the proposed plan of STEM teachers’ implementation of the sustainable professional development methods. Also, a questionnaire to identify obstacles to the implementation of sustainable professional development methods from the viewpoint of STEM teachers was also employed. The results showed that the most prominent obstacles to the implementation of the sustainable professional development methods by STEM teachers in the Saudi educational system where there is no coordination in the school meetings schedule for the members of the professional learning STEM education community, there is no clear plan for communities of practice of STEM education, teachers’ overload teaching duties, lack of coordination between schools to benefit from STEM experts. Implications of our study reside in developing teachers’ ongoing STEM professional development opportunities through execution of a sustainable model of collaborative teacher communities in KSA. Suggestions for curriculum stakeholders and administrator’s coordination and supporting teachers’ ongoing participation and implementation of professional development programs are discussed.

Highlighting the importance of STEM education in early childhood through play-based learning: A Literature Review

This paper aims to focus on the international studies regarding early integrated STEM education and its importance for developing 21st-century skills in young children to prepare them for an ever-changing world. The paper reviews the importance of integrated STEM education in early childhood settings and how it supports the development of scientific concepts and 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving through play-based learning based on the current literature. Adding to the importance of STEM education, the paper explores what STEM education means in early childhood and how different types of play-based learning can support early integrated STEM concepts and skills in young children concerning the literature from different parts of the world. Furthermore, the literature presents the role of teachers in implementing STEM practices and the challenges encountered by teachers. The literature indicates low self-efficacy and confidence in teachers as the main factor affecting the delivery of STEM teaching and suggests ways to overcome this through STEM professional development to enhance the STEM practices in early childhood. The paper concludes with further recommendations and implications for stronger policies, and more research in this field to achieve high-quality integrated STEM education in early childhood.

STEM Professional Development Activities and Their Impact on Teacher Knowledge and Instructional Practices

The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field is a crucial global driver for the development of various aspects of modern society, such as the economy, technology, education, and skills of the 21st-century workforce. All countries strive to produce STEM talent to meet future economic markets. Sustained professional development (PD) can support reform in STEM. Teachers need professional training to improve their knowledge, understanding, and teaching practices, which affect the development of their students’ meaningful learning. As a result, a systematic study was carried out to identify STEM PD activities and their influence on teachers’ knowledge and instructional methods. The peer-reviewed publications were published between 2017 and 2021, and Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost databases were used to find them. A comprehensive review of these empirical articles produced a total of 15 subthemes under activities and impact themes. The results exhibited that the dominant activities of STEM PD included engineering activities that indirectly had an extremely high impact on teachers’ knowledge and teaching practices related to engineering design, the problem-solving process as it relates to the engineering design process, and experiences of scientists and engineers. Finally, several recommendations for STEM PD sustainability and future research reference are presented.

An Interactive Information System That Supports an Augmented Reality Game in the Context of Game-Based Learning

Mobile augmented reality applications are gaining prominence in education, but there is a need to design appropriate and enjoyable games to be used in educational contexts such as classrooms. This paper presents an interactive information system designed to support the implementation of an augmented reality application in the context of game-based learning. PlanetarySystemGO includes a location-based mobile augmented reality game designed to promote learning about the celestial bodies and planetary systems of the Universe, and a web application that interacts with the mobile device application. Besides face-to-face classes, this resource can also be used in online classes, which is very useful in social isolation situations as the ones caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it is the inclusion of the web application, with a back-office, in the information system that makes it possible to include curricula contents according to the grade level of students. Moreover, it is intended that teachers use the information system to include the contents they find appropriate to the grade level they teach. Therefore, it is crucial to provide their professional development to be able to use this resource. In this regard, a pilot study was conducted with teachers who participated in a STEM professional development programme in order to assess if the system is appropriate to be used by them. It is concluded that teachers found this resource relevant to motivate students to learn, and also acknowledged that the web application facilitated the introduction of appropriate curricula contents and also was useful to assess student performance during the game. Teachers need support, however, to implement these types of technologies which are not familiar to them. The necessary support can be provided through collaboration among the researchers and teachers in their schools. Besides engaging students to learn about celestial bodies, it is concluded that the information system can be used by teachers to introduce appropriate curricula contents and to be implemented in class.

Access to School Counseling and the Connection to Postsecondary STEM Outcomes

Access to school counseling services leads to access to college-readiness counseling initiatives, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education–focused counseling for students. School counselor caseload and percentage of time spent on college-readiness counseling were analyzed in relation to longitudinal STEM postsecondary outcomes of students in a nationally representative sample. Access to school counselors who spend 21% or more of their time on college-readiness counseling predicted persistence and attainment of a STEM postsecondary degree. The current results offer implications for school counselors, counselor educators, and future researchers, including the need for STEM self-efficacy interventions, unbiased curriculum, and professional development on STEM counseling for school counselors; and the call for a more nuanced understanding of this topic.