Walking the Walk: An Integrated STEM Project for Elementary Teachers

• Main Authors: Sarah J. Carrier, Valerie N. Faulkner, Laura Bottomley
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership 2016-06-01
• Series: Journal of Interdisciplinary Teacher Leadership
• Subjects: stem
• Online Access: https://kenanfellows.org/journals/article/walking-the-walk-an-integrated-stem-project-for-elementary-teachers/

Preparing effective STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education teachers has become a priority of national economic importance (National Research Council [NRC], 2007) and this goal depends on teachers who understand content and possess effective teaching practices that impact student learning true integration of STEM will require significant changes in classroom practices, shifting away from traditional instruction and begin with teacher preparation. The present article originates from an interdisciplinary STEM project within an elementary teacher preparation program that has a stated and explicit STEM focus for undergraduate pre-service elementary teachers, yet this investigation also applies to practicing teachers interested in STEM integration. The investigation aims to blur the rigid boundaries that traditionally separate school subjects. Here we highlight a unified investigation project that spans not only disciplines and courses but also pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) mindsets.