Are you a STEM teacher?: Exploring K-12 teachers’ conceptions of STEM education

Abstract

Teachers need a deep understanding of integrated STEM education to provide more equitable learning opportunities for their students. This study explores teachers’ conceptions of STEM education at the beginning of an online graduate course for practicing PK-12 teachers (n=20). Analysis of survey data revealed that the teachers interpreted STEM from both disciplinary and integrated perspectives. Survey responses were consistent with teachers’ visual representations of the complexities of STEM education as portrayed in concept maps. Teachers’ concept maps were coded and categorized as (1) utilitarian; (2) acquisition of disciplinary knowledge; (3) activities and resources; (4) access to meaningful problem-solving experiences; (5) advocacy for systemic change; and (6) buzzwords. These themes reveal the complexity of teachers’ beliefs about STEM and what STEM education should look like. Teacher educators and professional developers who understand the initial beliefs of teachers are better positioned to help teachers move beyond ill-formed or surface-level representations of STEM education.  Recommendations for future research include exploring the complex connections between professional development design, teachers’ conceptions of STEM education, and STEM teacher identities.