From Making to Becoming: Preservice Teachers' Pathways in STEM through Service Learning

• In Event: Scaling Out, Up, and Deep: Mobile Making Afterschool Program across Four California State University Campuses

Abstract

Early Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) experiences in elementary and middle school provide essential foundations for sustained interest and skills development in STEM fields. However, many preservice K-8 teachers report low confidence and insufficient preparation to effectively integrate STEM into their future classrooms (Epstein & Miller, 2011). To address this gap, preservice teachers need authentic opportunities to cultivate competencies and professional identities in STEM education.
Drawing on Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner's (2014) Landscapes of Practice theory, this study examines how preservice teachers’ participation in the Mobile Making program—an integrated service-learning experience embedded within maker-based STEM education courses—supports their development of professional competencies and identities as STEM educators. Specifically, we explore preservice teachers’ nuanced responses to instructional and pedagogical challenges encountered during facilitation of youth-oriented design activities and identify factors influencing their experiences within multiple landscapes of practice.
Participants were preservice teachers (Liberal Studies majors) enrolled in STEM education courses at California State University, Fresno, and California State University, San Marcos, who engaged youth participants in design challenges as part of the Mobile Making service-learning program. Preservice teachers completed structured reflections after each session to critically assess their experiences. The data presented derive from Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 cohorts (N=327 across both campuses).
Preliminary findings reveal that preservice teachers initially expressed concerns regarding classroom management and balancing direct instruction with discovery-based learning. Over time, reflections showed progressive shifts toward employing more sophisticated strategies for student engagement and effective STEM instruction. Additionally, preservice teachers increasingly articulated evolving professional identities and roles as STEM educators, recognizing connections and boundaries within various educational communities of practice. Comparative analyses across campuses identified meaningful contextual differences, prompting further investigation into factors shaping these varied experiences.
This poster provides critical insights into effective practices for teacher preparation programs, demonstrating how service-learning experiences foster professional identity and competency development among preservice teachers in STEM education. Visualizations will highlight the evolution of preservice teachers’ reflections, comparative campus insights, and factors influencing instructional approaches within diverse landscapes of practice. Additionally, implications for promoting equity and accessibility in early STEM education and future research directions in teacher education will be discussed.

Authors

• Myunghwan Shin, California State University - Fresno

• Alexandria K. Hansen, California State University - Fresno

• Sinem Siyahhan, California State University - San Marcos