Teachers’ Perspectives on Achieving an Integrated Curricular Model of Primary STEM Education in Ireland: Authentic or Utopian Ideology?

Abstract

Integrative science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is heralded as a promising model for effective learning of 21st century STEM literacies and has been suggested as an approach that increases student motivation and engagement. In recent years Ireland has introduced policy with a renewed emphasis on integrated STEM education across all levels of schooling and paying particular attention to the early years and primary settings. The available international literature cites many concerns with potential barriers and failures to achieve authentic integration of the various STEM disciplines in educational contexts. An important determinant of the success of integrated STEM curricula are the backgrounds and attitudes of the individual teachers, as well as supports/experiences in designing and implementing an integrated curricular approach. In the Irish context, this is often in conflict with prescribed overloaded curricula and a subject focussed education system. Therefore, research is required into primary school teachers’ perspectives on achieving a truly integrated model of STEM education, particularly in the Irish context. This study employed a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with a sample of practicing teachers (N = 6) to gather perspectives on the potential and challenge of integrating STEM in their respective experiences. These teachers were enrolled in a practice orientated module on STEM education as part of their postgraduate studies. The data gathered was analysed to ascertain these teachers’ perspectives on the supports needed to overcome the challenges of integrating STEM subjects within their professional settings. Essentially, the findings of this study will discuss whether such an integrated STEM model is an authentic or utopian ideology.

Beyond content and curriculum in elementary classrooms: conceptualizing the cultivation of integrated STEM teacher identity

“…There is a persistent lack of consensus on the conceptualization of integrated elementary STEM education in research (English, 2016;Honey et al, 2014;Moore et al, 2020) and in practice (Holmlund et al, 2018). These varied definitions are often driven by differing goals and contexts (Delahunty et al, 2021;Ortiz-Revilla et al, 2020). We seek to communicate a vision of integrated STEM as it can be experienced and enacted by elementary teachers across a variety of settings.…”

Attitudes towards STEM education: nonlinear effects of teachers’ readiness and the crucial role of affective conditions

“…Teachers' attitudes are connected to their teaching practices as they influence their dedication to incorporating new concepts into their daily teaching endeavors. The characteristics of the teaching context are essential as they can either facilitate or hinder the establishment of the necessary conditions for high-quality teaching practices (Thibaut et al, 2018;Delahunty et al, 2021).…”

“…In addition, educators often display unfavorable attitudes and emotions toward tutoring STEM subjects (Mateos-Núñez et al, 2019). This is particularly applicable to primary school teachers, who often experience anxiety and a sense of inadequacy since they are not well-informed on the content of various STEM subject areas (Slavit et al, 2016;Shernoff et al, 2017;Delahunty et al, 2021).…”

Investigating Teachers’ Perceptions of STEM Education in Private Elementary Schools in Abu Dhabi

“…STEM has no definitive definition (Dare et al, 2019;Gao et al, 2020). In fact, in some places, it substitutes the terms of mathematics and science (Breiner et al, 2012); however, in other places, it denotes a farther integrated approach to teaching and learning that imposes explicit affiliations among disciplinary content and practices (Delahunty et al, 2021;Kelley & Knowles, 2016;Permanasari et al, 2021), where students are expected to "work in the context of complex phenomena or situations on tasks that require them to use knowledge and skills from multiple disciplines" (Honey et al, 2014, p. 52).…”

“…The literature related to integrated STEM approaches reveals common features. These features are: the inclusion of an engaging real-world context (Dare et al, 2019;Delahunty et al, 2021;Permanasari et al, 2021), the premeditated and explicit liaisons between the four domains: science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (Gao et al, 2020;Sirajudin & Suratno, 2021), the modeling of the four domains as they will potentially be utilised in STEM careers (Kelley & Knowles, 2016), the intended insertion of the 21st-century skills such as collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking (Bryan et al, 2015;El Sayary et al, 2015;Hacioglu & Gulhan, 2021;, the use of technology to create and communicate innovative solutions (Sirajudin & Suratno, 2021), and lastly an accent on the student-centered academic strategy to support apprentices developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills (Bryan et al, 2015;Hacioglu & Gulhan, 2021;Permanasari, Rubini, & Nugroho, 2021;Rinke et al, 2016;Sirajudin & Suratno, 2021).…”