The current article about pre-service teachers (n=60) describes the implementation and evaluation of an innovative curriculum for teaching sound, waves and communication systems (SWCS). The study sought to investigate pre-service teachers' successes and difficulties in learning a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-based program, to examine the program's influence on students' interest and selfefficacy beliefs about learning science and technology, and to explore the factors that affected their achievements and motivation. The participants were two groups of preservice teachers who learned the course within their studies towards a B.Ed. degree in science teaching. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by a final exam, a retention exam, a Motivation Questionnaire, final projects, class observations and interviews with the students. The findings revealed that the pre-service teachers successfully learned the new subject and were motivated in learning the course. The integration of science and technology studies, engaging the students in hands-on lab work and the use of ICT tools played a crucial role in promoting meaningful learning. However, the PBL part of the course contributed relatively little because the learners encountered difficulties in learning new subjects independently.

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The insufficiency of teachers who teach integrative science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses is a major challenge facing science education today. Many teachers lack adequate expertise to combine disciplines and choose effective instructional approaches. This study examines how and to what extent teachers might succeed in teaching an innovative STEM program about a sound, waves and communication systems course in an information and communication technology-based environment. This research adopted a qualitative method to understand better the experience of three teachers who taught the course for the first time. Data collection tools included documenting mentoring meetings, observing in the classrooms and interviewing the teachers. The data were transcribed and analyzed using the content analysis method. The findings show that the teachers had only partial knowledge and, initially, even misconceptions about sound. However, their technological pedagogic content knowledge improved significantly due to the researcher's gradual but continual guidance. Four major factors contributed to the teachers' professional development: (a) dealing with innovative contents, (b) using different (advanced) teaching methods, (c) predesigning the instructional course materials and (d) offering the researcher-mentor's developmental supervision.

In this article, we present the case of developing an interdisciplinary curriculum for learning science and technology, its implementation in junior high schools and evaluation of students' achievements and attitude. The 30-hour course (15 two-hour sessions) includes subjects such as sound and waves, conversion of sound to electrical signal, amplification, sampling, and analog to digital conversion. Beyond teachers' short presentations, the students are engaged in problem solving and project-based learning, with strong emphasis on using information and computer technologies (ICT) tools such as simulation and sound editing software. One could see that the course design was guided by the following principles: contextual learning, integrated learning of science, technology and computer sciences; extensive use of information and computer technologies (ICT); and combining teacher's instruction with project based learning. The research aimed at exploring students' achievements and motivation to learn science, technology and computers. The participants in the pilot study were 40 junior high-school students in 7th grade (age 13). In the near future, the course will be updated and run once again among junior high school students and student teachers in a regional college. Data collection tools include: achievement tests, attitude questionnaires, interviews with teachers and students, and analysis of the students' assignments and projects. The findings indicate that the students manage to handle the subject fairly well and have good achievements in the final exam. The learners also succeeded in developing final projects in sound and communication systems, "The human ear" and "Bluetooth", and presented their projects to the parents.