Education Renewal in Early Engineering: Preservice Teachers’ Critical Reflections on the Stories of Underrepresented Engineers

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Cultivating Equity in Early Childhood Education: Exploring Community Wealth, Critical Pedagogies, and Culturally Sustaining Practices in Teacher Preparation Programs (Table 12)

Abstract

This study explored the impact of Book Talks on the preparation of teachers for dismantling racial injustice and constructing educational possibilities in early engineering instruction. Findings suggest that the Book Talks supported all PSTs in building their knowledge base and interest in using diverse children’s literature when teaching engineering. For some PSTs, the Book Talks facilitated critical reflection and strengthened their commitment to using stories of underrepresented engineers to foreground race, socioeconomics, and gender when teaching engineering. Findings demonstrate the need for teacher educators to introduce diverse teaching resources in STEM coursework and to address PSTs’ justifications for avoiding discussions of equity with students.

Author

• Hannah Kye, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign