Student Teachers' Dispositions, Self-Efficacy, and Perceptions Relative to Early Childhood STEM Education: A Pilot Study

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

STEM education has been a growing trend in the American school systems from preschool through grade 12. In 2014, the National Science Teaching Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children jointly issued a position statement on early childhood science education. Specifically, to set the foundation for science, adults help young children learn science by providing multiple and varied opportunities for them to engage in science exploration and discovery. An inquiry-based learning environment is built upon teachers’ knowledge, confidence, and efficacy in teaching STEM to allow for greater scientific learning among students (Nadelson et al., 2013). Brenneman (2011) found that teachers’ STEM knowledge is positively correlated with their confidence and efficacy in teaching. Under Bandura’s Self-Efficacy theoretical framework (1997), the present study aimed to examine student teachers’ self-efficacy, self-perceptions, and dispositions toward STEM literacy and education, especially at their initial stage of professional development.

A total of 47 college students with a declared Child Development major participated in the study (45 females, 74% Latinos, 51% had no prior teaching experience) in the preschool fieldwork setting located in the metropolitan area of Southern California. Participants completed an online survey that consisted of 7 demographic questions, 24 questions about self-efficacy, self-perceptions, and dispositions toward teaching STEM (on the five-point Likert scale, 1= strongly disagree, 5= strongly agree), and 3 open-ended qualitative questions in 30 minutes.

A series of statistical analyses were conducted. Firstly, a one-sample t-test revealed that student teachers rated themselves significantly higher than the chance level in overall self-efficacy (especially science and technology) and confidence (all areas except engineering), but significantly lower in their overall STEM pedagogical knowledge, ps < .001 (see Table 1). Secondly, a Pearson correlation analysis indicated that student teachers’ STEM pedagogical knowledge, self-perceptions and, self-efficacy in teaching young children STEM were positively correlated with one another (ps < .001, see Table 2). The higher levels of dispositions and self-perceptions were associated with higher levels of self-efficacy. The student teachers’ prior teaching experience was marginally correlated with all variables (ps = ns). Finally, a one-way ANOVA further confirmed that no significant difference was found between students with and without prior teaching experience in self-efficacy, and confidence in teaching STEM (ps = ns).

The results suggested that student teachers displayed positive dispositions towards all STEM areas except engineering. Student teachers reported higher levels of comfort and confidence in technology and math than those in science and engineering. Their sense of self-efficacy was the highest in technology integration followed by math instruction, but lowest in science and engineering instructions. Overall, their stance on teaching STEM was selective based on the subject areas, and they expressed interest in professional development on STEM literacy and education. Although student teachers reported limited pedagogical knowledge about STEM, 29% of student teachers felt confident in teaching STEM to young children, while 50% lacked confidence.

Authors

• Kheng Ly-Hoang, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
  Presenting Author

• Thikra Saleh, Other
  Non-Presenting Author

• Yafen Lo, California State University - Los Angeles
  Non-Presenting Author