K–12 Math and Science Teachers' Conceptions of Integrating STEM

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Division C Section 1d: Science Poster Session 2 (San Diego)

Abstract

Teaching STEM in an integrated manner may afford educational benefits. To design effective curricula and teacher preparation, it is important to understand teachers’ existing conceptions about the integration of STEM. We interviewed 5 science and 5 math teachers to explore how they define and incorporate each STEM discipline. Science teachers defined other disciplines as they relate to science. Most interviewees defined technology as tools (rather than a discipline) and provided only partial definitions of engineering. Few math teachers mentioned integration at all. Teachers tended to describe context integration—using other disciplines as context while maintaining isolated, disciplinary learning objectives. Our work suggests that an integrated STEM curriculum based on content integration might provide a more complete understanding of each discipline.

Authors

• Brandon Reynante, Stanford University

• Daniel Pimentel, Stanford University

• Megan Selbach-Allen, Stanford University