Scaffolded Supports and the Arc of Self-Efficacy in Elementary STEM Teaching

• In Event: Cultivating Teacher Agency & Knowledge: Innovations in STEM/STEAM Professional Development

Abstract

Elementary teachers often report low self-efficacy in science instruction, a challenge linked to limited content preparation and insufficient support—factors that hinder equitable access to early STEM learning. This convergent parallel mixed methods study examines how a hydroponics-based science program influences teacher self-efficacy across first, second, and third years of implementation. Grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and Biesta’s concept of professional agency, the study includes interviews with implementers across ten states and seventeen school districts, representing rural and suburban settings. Quantitative Likert-scale data identified confidence trends, while thematic coding of qualitative responses revealed perceived influences. Findings highlight predictable growth patterns and five themes that inform future professional learning design.

Author

• Tami Lemire, TLC for Educators