Opinions of Classroom Teacher Candidates on STEM Education

Abstract

Purpose: Scientific and technological developments in the last century have undoubtedly been realized in the light of new paradigms that have taken place in education programs. Especially advances in science, technology, engineering and mathematics have been transformed into new inventions and products. From this point of view, STEM, which has become an important education discipline by combining the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, has enabled learners to absorb, synthesize and apply the information they have acquired with an interdisciplinary perspective. It is considered important and necessary to learn. Based on this idea, this study was conducted in order to examine the opinions of teacher candidates studying in the primary school teaching department about STEM education after STEM education.Design/Methodology/Approach: This research is a qualitative study aimed at determining the opinions of teacher candidates on STEM education. The study was conducted based on a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. Working group of the study consisted of 57 teacher candidates educating at a state university in southern Turkey. The sample of the study was determined by the criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods.Findings: It was concluded that the classroom teacher candidates generally thought that STEM education was related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, that it included daily life lesson problems, that it gave teacher skills, provided permanent learning and gained perspectives. In addition, it was concluded that in the case of applying STEM activities in mathematic lessons, both teachers and teaching time management may have problems in the context of preparing headings individually.Highlights: According to these results, applied trainings can be given to both in-service processes and teacher candidates and teachers to solve such problems. In addition, this study turned out to be about the participants following education in the classroom teaching department. In cooperation with students studying in mathematics, science and engineering departments on STEM education, new studies can also be conducted to examine their thoughts on STEM education and applications.