Education Commons^™

Teachers’ Perceptions On Women In Stem: Breaking The Stereotypes, Lili Zhou, Alankrita Chhikara, Stephanie Oudghiri, Araba A. Z. Osei-Tutu, Razak Kwame Dwomoh

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Drawing on an online professional development modular course that addressed critical approaches to the issues of race, immigration, English Language Learners (ELLs)/Emerging Bilinguals (EBs), and gender and sexual orientation, this paper reports teachers’ perceptions on gender stereotypes in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. In particular, building on the course readings, we discuss teachers’ emergent approaches to address gender stereotypes in teaching practice that improve girls' participation in STEM fields. Data is collected from a pre-course survey and teachers’ discussions during the course. Centering on the course readings from theoretical and empirical research that address gender issues, discussion prompts …

The Scientific Curiosity Of Preservice Elementary Teachers And Confidence For Teaching Specific Science Topics, Allison Antink-Meyer, Melisa Brown, Alex Wolfe

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This study explored whether, and how, preservice elementary teachers’ scientific curiosity related to their confidence for science teaching. A group of 29 preservice, elementary teachers in the U.S. engaged in a curiosity journaling strategy across a 16-week scientific inquiry course. Their expressions of curiosity were coded using Luce and Hsi’s framework of curiosity. Whether expressions of curiosity related to their confidence for teaching associated science topics was examined statistically. In addition, the categories of their curiosity were coded and are described across eight journal entries. The nature of the relationship between scientific curiosity and science teaching confidence, as well as …

Teaching Elementary Mathematics With Educational Robotics, Yuling Zhuang, Jonathan K. Foster, Annamarie Conner, Barbara A. Crawford, Tim Foutz, Roger B. Hill

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Current education reforms call for engaging students in learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in an integrative way. This critical case study of one fourth grade teacher investigated the use of educational robots (ER) not only for teaching coding, but as an instructional support in teaching mathematical concepts. To support teachers in teaching coding in an integrative and logical manner, our team developed the Collective Argumentation Learning and Coding (CALC) approach. The CALC approach consists of three elements: choice of task, coding content, and teacher support for argumentation. After a cohort of elementary teachers completed a professional development course, …

Exploring Elementary Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Stem And Cs Abilities, Scott R. Bartholomew, Vanessa Santana, Jessica Yauney

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Curriculum, legislation, and standards across the nation are quickly evolving to incorporate computer science and computational thinking concepts into K-12 classrooms. For example, many states have passed legislation requiring computer science to be included in every school’s curriculum. Most states, however, report high shortages of qualified computer science teachers, meaning, teachers without extensive training will be required to integrate these concepts into their classrooms—a daunting task for most teachers without the necessary background and experiences. This paper reports the impacts of a thirteen-week intervention in a local elementary school designed to introduce computational thinking skills to 4^th and 5 …

Classrooms As Workplace: “Early Pre-Service” Stem Teaching Experience In A University-Based Summer Stem Institute, Daniel Choi, Antoinette S. Linton

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

The focus of study is to examine the impact that The Orange County Teacher Pathway Partnership (OC-TPP) at CSU Fullerton has had on participants’ (community college transfer students) skills and experiences gained in each of the program years from years 2015-2018. Students who participated in the STEM Institute gained pre-professional skills and teaching experience through various activities in the program. Students remained on the teacher pathway because the program allowed them to break out of their comfort zones, build social connections, and adjust to various groups of people. Attending the program increased college student confidence in content knowledge and content-based …

Elementary School Teachers’ Perspectives And Practices Of Multicultural Education In Indonesia, Robby Anggriawan

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of the study was to investigate multiculturalism and multicultural education perspectives and practices of elementary school teachers in Indonesia. The research was designed as a qualitative case study which focused on seven elementary school teachers as study participants. In this study, semi-structured interviews are used to evaluate teachers’ understanding of culture as defined by Creshaw (1989, 2008) and multiculturalism concept by using four levels of understanding multiculturalism as defined by Nieto (1994, 2017). As well as elementary school teachers’ practices of multicultural education implementation as outlined by Banks (1999, 2019). The results of the study showed that …

Full Steam Ahead: Creating Interdisciplinary Informal Learning Opportunities For Early Childhood Teacher Candidates, Sara L. Hartman, Danielle Dani

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Early childhood teacher candidates benefit when presented with opportunities to engage meaningfully with their clinically-based school community. Informal learning events that are hosted after school hours but within school settings present a valuable way to provide these opportunities. Too often, content areas exist in isolation in classrooms, a stark contrast to the real world where content is connected and overlapping. Additionally, while many early childhood teachers express insecurity about their ability to teach STEM content, an integrated STEAM (STEM + Arts & Humanities) approach may help to promote comfort with STEM content and presents an authentic example of content integration. …

Fab Fridays: Fostering Elementary Teacher Candidate Preparation Through Informal Stem Events, Jennifer R. Meadows, Jane Baker, Stephanie Wendt

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

Informal STEM learning opportunities offered outside of the structured school day have been gaining popularity in today’s STEM-oriented culture. These are venues where children and their families gather to engage and explore in science, technology, engineering, and math —together. For a number of years, faculty from the College of Education at Tennessee Tech University have been promoting these events for the local community, free of charge, to encourage and foster a love for STEM Education. Methods professors recognize these events as golden opportunities for teacher candidates enrolled to learn about STEM content while aiding in the development of their pedagogy. …

The ‘ Dialogic’ Of Pedagogical Design: Elementary Teachers Who Consistently Integrate Digital Technologies, Aaron R. Gierhart

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the pervasiveness of digital technologies in society and educational settings, gaps in digital participation for elementary learners and means-end views of the benefits and effectiveness of digital innovations for teaching and learning persist. The focus on digital technologies at the elementary level must shift to critical pedagogy in order to promote effective teaching and learning and equitable student participation in an increasingly digital society. A teacher’s pedagogy continually evolves across their entire life journey and is never fully mastered; therefore, in order to better understand the development of pedagogical design with digital technologies by elementary teachers, it was vital …

The Double-Edged Sword Of Standardized Testing, Barbara Meyer, Christine Paxson

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Assessment in Pk-12 schools has always been a challenge. Measurement and comparison of students, schools, school districts and states provides accountability for all stakeholders in education. Standardized testing has become the norm, but it is overused. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers is one test adopted on a large scale to measure whether students are prepared for college and career. Parents are one of the stakeholders who had had concerns about another standardized test, but they also recognize the need. A survey was conducted of parents whose children took PARCC to learn their expectations of the …

How Does Training From A Stem Elementary Education Program Influence An Elementary Teacher’S Instruction And Experiences?, Courtney G. Mayakis, Jessica R. Robinson, John Williams Iii

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

In the United States, innovation and our economy seem to be lacking in comparison to other countries. Many cite the shortage of individuals interested in STEM careers as part of the problem. The following research article addresses how STEM programs may influence the efficacy and practice of curriculum integration as well as the mathematics and science instruction of teachers in elementary education. Data were collected using interviews and taped instruction from an elementary educator who graduated from a STEM-focused elementary program. This exploratory case study will aid in understanding how preservice programs focusing on STEM-integrated curriculum in elementary education can …

Exploring Teacher Candidates’ Civic Efficacy Through Civic Engagement And Critical Literacy In A Literacy Methods Course, Dana M. Karraker

Theses and Dissertations

Public school spaces play a large role in developing people’s understandings of civic knowledge and responsibility. Teachers, administrators, and policy-makers design school curriculum to reflect the types of citizens they believe a society needs, and thus, determines approaches to teaching and curriculum development (Labaree, 1997). This action research study examined the civic efficacy and critical literacy understandings of seven elementary education teacher candidates enrolled in a content area literacy course. The course and the study were designed using a critical literacy and civic efficacy framework as literacy practices are closely connected to the ways in which people are able to …

Examining Fifth-Grade In-School Physical Activity Patterns And How Many Days Of Monitoring Are Needed, Tyler R. Langosch

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine in-school physical activity patterns among fifth-grade students residing in a Midwestern community. Variables observed were minutes of vigorous + activity, vigorous activity, moderate activity, easy activity and very easy activity along with steps and calories expended. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine the minimum number of days necessary to estimate mean physical activity levels, as both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and steps per day, in fifth-grade students using objective physical activity monitors across two semesters. METHODS: Activity patterns were assessed during two school semesters, spring (N = 82 …

Social Media As A Tool To Share Art Curriculum, Jordan James Dewilde

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to discover how social media can be a tool for art educators. The researcher, an elementary art educator, created a Facebook page to share his curriculum and document his teaching experience. For a two month period he recorded the posts, the and responses and documented the process in a reflective journal to determine how interaction with social media would impact his teaching. He simultaneously conducted an online survey of art educators to ask how they used social media to inform their teaching.

Elementary District-Level And Building-Level Leadership Practices That Promote And Sustain Professional Learning Communities, Nathaniel Cunningham Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between building and district level leadership in sustaining level district Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The study attempted to reveal the relationships of building level and district level leadership in sustaining level PLCs. The study also sought to determine the impact of relational trust between district-level and building-level leadership practices within professional learning communities. The Professional Learning Community Continuum (PLCC) was administered in order to identify those districts that were operating at the Sustaining Stage for PLCs. Approximately forty-six district and building level leaders participated in the study. A non- random …

The Ethos Of Excellence In An Effective School: A Study Of An Exemplary Urban School, Karen Danita Gyenfie

Theses and Dissertations

THE ETHOS OF EXCELLENCE IN AN EFFECTIVESCHOOL:

A STUDY OF AN EXEMPLARY URBAN SCHOOL

This research project was organized in three phases. Phase I began with the selection of the high performing urban school site to be studied. Phase II of the study centered on the researcher's study of the school's policies, curriculum, instructional practices, personnel, and related artifacts. The researcher processed, analyzed, and coded all data in accordance to qualitaive standards in order to identify those indigenous practices that impact the success of the school.

The findings of the study including the following:

1. School improvement is a multifaceted …