Improving Elementary Pre-Service Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy through Garden-Based Technology Integration

Abstract

School gardens and outdoor learning spaces are increasingly available to support authentic, student-centered exploration in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Integrating technology tools into school garden spaces in alignment with modern agricultural practices can support inquiry-based learning in which students engage in science practices such as collecting and analyzing data. However, educators currently lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and instructional support to enact technology-rich, garden-based STEM learning experiences. The Garden TOOLS program was designed to support teachers in leveraging technology to support inquiry-based teaching (IBT) in outdoor learning spaces. In this paper, we examine the impact of combining Garden TOOLS professional development workshops with lesson plan implementation in a practicum setting on elementary pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) science teaching self-efficacy. We administered the STEBI-B pre- and post-intervention and assessed change in the STEBI-B subscales, personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE), and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE). Participants included thirty-nine elementary PSTs enrolled in a 300-level science methods course in the rural Midwest. Garden TOOLS professional development workshop participants saw a statistically significant increase from pre- to post-workshop in their PSTE. Participants who also implemented the Garden TOOLS lesson showed both an increase in PSTE and STOE.

The Effects of Attending High Individual and Collective Teacher Efficacy Schools on Ninth Grade On-Track

“…Where CTE is strong, teachers embrace a more challenging curriculum [10], dedicate more time to supporting students having difficulty [80] and engage in "student-centered" learning [81,82], p. 66, leading to a climate of "help seeking, joint problem solving, and instructional experimentation" within the classroom [83], p. 167, [6]. Research on teacher education and practices also points to how self-efficacious teachers tend to be more risktaking and thus motivated to shift away from traditional forms of instruction to more inquiry-based [84,85], apply a social justice framework to the curriculum [86], or use places and local context to relate better with students [87]. Considering this context, this study holds practical importance by emphasizing the value of having teachers with strong self and collective efficacy in schools.…”