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1. Teaching engineering to enhance beginning elementary preservice teachers’ engineering-related knowledge and beliefs

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-025-00559-x  

   Kidd, Jennifer; Rhemer, Danielle; Gutierrez, Kristie; Ringleb, Stacie I; Kaipa, Krishnanand; Ayala, Orlando; Pazos, Pilar; Cima, Francisco; Kumi, Isaac (December 2025, International Journal of STEM Education)

   Abstract Background Teacher educators have begun exploring the most effective ways to prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to engage elementary students in engineering design. However, this remains challenging as PSTs continue to report a lack of exposure to engineering during their K-12 school experiences. This study investigates the engineering- related knowledge and beliefs of PSTs in their first education course, collaborating in small teams to lead elementary students in engineering design challenges. We explored two different iterations to understand how the structure of the teaching experiences contributed to PST outcomes as a first step in identifying helpful approaches. In spring 2022, PSTs collaborated with undergraduate engineering students to develop and teach a carnival-themed design challenge lesson, while PSTs from fall 2022 collaborated with education classmates to teach a premade engineering lesson focused on designing plastic filters. We used quantitative and qualitative measures to analyze PSTs knowl- edge of engineering, knowledge of engineering pedagogy, beliefs about the importance of elementary engineering instruction, self-efficacy for teaching engineering, and intention to integrate engineering in their future instruction. Results Teaching engineering had a positive influence on PSTs’ engineering-related knowledge and beliefs. PSTs began to understand engineering as a process and see the ubiquity of engineered products in everyday life. They recognized their teaching role as guiding students through the design process and practices. PSTs noted how ele- mentary students found engineering fun and engaging and were able to develop successful solutions with minimal assistance and even persevered through failure. These observations contributed to the development of their engi- neering-pedagogical knowledge and helped cultivate positive engineering-related beliefs. Following their teaching experiences, most PSTs gained self-efficacy for teaching engineering, believed engineering should be taught in ele- mentary schools, and had an intention to integrate engineering into their future instruction. Conclusions Our findings suggest teaching engineering to elementary students is an effective approach to enhanc- ing beginning PSTs’ engineering-related knowledge and beliefs. Recommendations are made for structuring teach- ing opportunities early in preparation programs, including: teaching elementary students, practicing teaching, and engaging as students in meaningful design challenges. Questions remain regarding how best to structure teaching experiences for early PSTs, such as ideal team composition and placement in elementary teacher education programs. 

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2. Examining the Role of Mentor Teacher Support in a Professional Learning Experience for Preservice Teachers on Integrating Computational Thinking into Elementary Science Education

   Ketelhut, D. J.; Hestness, E.; Cabrera, L.; Jeong, H.; Plane, J.; & McGinnis, J. R. (April 2019, Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference)

   Abstract. We investigated preservice teachers’ (PSTs) (N=13) experiences in a science teaching inquiry group professional learning experience on integrating computational thinking (CT) into elementary science. A subgroup of PSTs (n=6) participated alongside their mentor teachers. The others (n=7) participated independently. Our research question was: To what extent, if any, did participating in a professional learning experience on CT along with their mentor teachers appear to enhance PSTs’ learning and practice related to CT integration? We analyzed evaluation feedback, interviews, participant-developed lesson plans, surveys, and attendance data. Findings suggested that participants in both groups reacted positively to the learning experience’s content and approach, and expressed similar perceptions of their CT integration knowledge. PSTs participating with their mentor teachers felt slightly more successful in their CT integration efforts, and perceived CT integration as more feasible in their teaching contexts. However, differences between the groups were minimal. We also noted possible of influence of PSTs’ perceptions of the districts in which they were teaching. Our findings underscore the importance of PSTs’ perceptions of their teaching contexts when bringing a new innovation to the classroom - namely, perceptions of their mentors and curricula as supportive of the innovation. Through this ongoing work, we seek to identify empirically-supported strategies for preparing PSTs to integrate CT into their future classrooms. 

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3. AN EMERGING METHODOLOGY FOR THE STUDY OF PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ LEARNING ABOUT EQUITY IN STEM EDUCATION

   Gutiérrez, J.F.; Barth-Cohen, L.A.; Francom, R.; Greenberg, K.; MacArthur, K.; & Dobie, T. (January 2019, Proceedings of the 41st annual meeting of the North-American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education)

   A major challenge for elementary STEM teacher educators is incorporating social justice considerations across the span of professional program coursework. Recognizing that standards and policy documents are pressing for diversity and inclusion in STEM education, there is a growing need to support preservice teachers’ learning about critical theories and how to develop an equitable vision of teaching. This paper describes ongoing research on our University’s elementary STEM teacher education program. We focus our discussion on instrument development and the methods we used for eliciting preservice teachers’ understandings of equity and diversity issues related to teaching STEM content. We designed a number of math, science, and technology scenarios in tandem, as means of building coherence across disciplinary boundaries; this report focuses on math teaching and learning. 

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4. Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Integrated STEM Teaching Self-Efficacy: Contributing Sources Within STEM Education Courses

   https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584251321472  

   Menon, Deepika; Wieselmann, Jeanna R; Haines, Sarah; Asim, Sumreen; Koch, Amanda; Cox, Derek (March 2025, AERA Open)

   Elementary teachers often feel underprepared to teach integrated STEM (iSTEM) and describe their preservice teacher preparation as ineffective. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which semester-long STEM methods courses influenced elementary preservice teachers’ (PSTs) iSTEM teaching self-efficacy and identify how the sources of self-efficacy influenced their beliefs and confidence in teaching iSTEM. Participants included 131 PSTs at a large midwestern research-intensive public university in the United States. Quantitative data sources included the Self-Efficacy for Teaching Integrated STEM instrument administered as a pre-and post-test. The qualitative data collection included two semi-structured interviews with 10 selected participants. Findings suggest that PSTs experienced growth in iSTEM teaching self-efficacy through their STEM methods coursework. Sources that emerged as contributors toward enhanced confidence to teach iSTEM were enactive mastery, emotional arousal, vicarious experiences, and verbal persuasions. The implications for preservice teacher preparation programs and future research on iSTEM teaching self-efficacy are discussed. 

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5. Computational thinking, mathematics, and science: Elementary teachers’ perspectives on integration.

   Rich, K. M.; Yadav, A.; Schwarz, C. V (April 2019, Journal of technology and teacher education)

   In order to create professional development experiences, curriculum materials, and policies that support elementary school teachers to embed computational thinking (CT) in their teaching, researchers and teacher educators must under- stand ways teachers see CT as connecting to their classroom practices. Taking the viewpoint that teachers’ initial ideas about CT can serve as useful resources on which to build ed- ucational experiences, we interviewed 12 elementary school teachers to probe their understanding of six components of CT (abstraction, algorithmic thinking, automation, debug- ging, decomposition, and generalization) and how those com- ponents relate to their math and science teaching. Results suggested that teachers saw stronger connections between CT and their mathematics instruction than between CT and their science instruction. We also found that teachers draw upon their existing knowledge of CT-related terminology to make connections to their math and science instruction that could be leveraged in professional development. Teachers were, however, concerned about bringing CT into teaching due to limited class time and the difficulties of addressing high level CT in developmentally appropriate ways. We discuss these results and their implications future research and the design of professional development, sharing examples of how we used teachers’ initial ideas as the foundation of a workshop introducing them to computational thinking. 

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