Examining Elementary Pre-service Teachers’ Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Teaching Intention

Abstract

This study aims at examining elementary pre-service teachers' integrative STEM intentions. In this quantitative study, data were gathered from 401 elementary pre-service teachers who were enrolled in two public universities. Results of the study revealed that pre-service teachers' integrative STEM intentions were positive in general. In addition, regarding knowledge, attitude, value, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention, elementary pre-service teachers seemed to hold positive views for integrative STEM teaching. Findings of this study showed that there was no significant difference between pre-service teachers' scores on knowledge, attitude, value, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention regarding gender. However, there was a significant difference between pre-service teachers' scores on subjective norm regarding gender. In the same way, there was a significant difference between pre-service teachers' scores on perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention regarding the years spent in the program. However, there was no significant difference between pre-service teachers' scores on knowledge, attitude, value and subjective norm regarding the years spent in the program. Moreover, there was a significant difference between pre-service teachers' scores on knowledge regarding school variable.© 2018 IOJES. All rights reserved Keywords:1 Elementary pre-service teacher, STEM teaching, intention Extended SummaryResearch studies conducted with pre-service teachers focusing on integrative approaches in STEM teaching has been increasing over the years (Corlu, 2014;Corlu, Capraro & Çorlu, 2015, Lin & Willams, 2016. Among these research studies, pre-service teachers' perceptions of STEM education have been examined for different subjects such as science, mathematics, and chemistry. Therefore, research studies are suggesting the need for measuring elementary pre-service teachers' intentions for integrative STEM teaching. This current study aimed to examine elementary pre-service teachers' integrative STEM teaching Intentions. MethodIn this quantitative study, survey method was utilized to examine elementary pre-service teachers' integrative STEM teaching intentions. For this reason, data were gathered from 401 pre-service teachers who were majoring in elementary teacher education program at two public universities. Data were collected from third and fourth year pre-service teachers. The sample consists of 95 male and 306 female pre-service teachers. Elementary pre-service teachers' scores on integrative STEM intentions questionnaire were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Independent t-tests were performed to investigate whether or not there is a significant difference between integrative STEM intentions questionnaire scores of the pre-service teachers regarding gender, years spent in the program, and school.

Investigation of the Relationship between the STEM Awareness and Questioning Skills of Pre-Service Teachers

“…Additionally, it was concluded that the STEM attitudes and achievements of female students were higher than those of male students (Karakaya & Avgın, 2016;Knezek, Christensen & Tylor-Wood, 2011). There are also results showing that there is no significant difference between teachers or pre-service teachers' STEM awareness and STEM attitudes based on the gender variable (Aydın, Saka, & Guzey, 2017;Bakırcı & Karışan, 2018;Çevik, 2017;Hacıömeroğlu, 2017;Simon, Wagner, & Killion, 2017). These results supported the results of this study.…”

Investigating the Preservice Primary School, Mathematics and Science Teachers’ STEM Awareness

“…A related study carried out by Aydın, Saka and Guzey (2017) revealed that secondary school students' levels of attitudes towards STEM did not differ across gender, school type and parents' educational background. Similarly, in another study, Hacıömeroğlu (2017) reported that the elementary school preservice teachers' mean scores regarding the sub-dimensions of the STEM teaching tendency scale (value, attitude, knowledge (and so on) did not differ significantly with respect to the variable of gender. Karakaya and Avgın (2016), in their study, found that parents' educational background did not have much influence on their secondary school children's attitudes towards STEM and that the variables of gender and grade level did not have any influence on the secondary school students' attitudes towards STEM.…”

Öğretmen Adaylarının FeTeMM Öğretim Yönelimlerinin Anabilim Dalına ve Sınıf Düzeyine Göre İncelenmesi

“…Yenilmez and Balbağ (2016) have found that the attitudes of preservice science and mathematics teachers towards STEM are generally positive and preservice science teachers' attitudes towards STEM are generally more positive than those of preservice mathematics teachers. Hacıömeroğlu (2017) indicated that the STEM teaching intention levels of the preservice primary school teachers were generally positive. In addition, it was determined that the opinions of the preservice teachers were positive in the knowledge, attitude, value, subjective and behaviour subscales.…”

“…Primary school teachers are responsible for teaching science and mathematics to 1-4 graders. However, it has been noted that preservice primary school teachers do not have sufficient knowledge about STEM education Hacıömeroğlu, 2017).…”

“…al., 2016). At the same time, teachers with knowledge and experience of STEM education will play an active role in choosing the profession of their students (Hacıömeroğlu, 2017). In this context, it is believed that it is important to reveal preservice teachers thoughts on STEM education.…”