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1. Using Asset-Based Pedagogy to Facilitate STEM Learning, Engagement, and Motivation for Black Middle School Boys

   Coleman, Sean T.; Davis, Julius (September 2020, Journal of African American males in education)

   There is a shortage of research examining Black male middle school students’ early experiences, content and career exposure, and mentoring in STEM programs at HBCUs. Using Harper’s Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework, this research examined the asset-based pedagogy used to teach middle school Black boys (n=169) using survey data from a more extensive mixed-methods study of STEM programs at HBCUs. Results show that Black boys perceived the instructors and mentors incorporated a relatively high level of engagement and pedagogical practice using transactional strategies (meaningful learning, learning community, teacher student relationship quality). The more Black boys perceived meaningful connections in their lessons, the higher teacher student relationship quality and learning community ratings. The use of the three transactional instructional strategies resulted in Black boys' perceived use of critical thinking in the STEM learning context. As a result of participating in the STEM programs at HBCUs, Black boys significantly increased in STEM-based academic efficacy, specifically in technology. Implications for teachers, teacher educators, and program mentors and instructors in STEM spaces for Black boys are discussed. 

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2. Lost to the System? A Descriptive Exploration of Teacher Candidates’ Career Paths

   https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X221077042  

   Goldhaber, Dan; Krieg, John; Theobald, Roddy; Liddle, Stephanie (February 2022, Educational Researcher)

   We use data on over 14,000 teacher candidates in Washington state, merged with employment data from the state’s public schools and Unemployment Insurance system, to investigate the career paths of recently certified teacher candidates in the state. About two thirds of these candidates are observed as public school teachers at some point within 5 years after completing student teaching, many of whom transition from nonteaching education positions into public school teaching positions within a few years of student teaching. We also find that candidates with STEM endorsements and candidates who graduated after the Great Recession are far more likely to be employed in public K–12 teaching positions within the first several years after student teaching. 

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3. Antecedents, Processes, and Outcomes of an Interdisciplinary, Conference/Collaboration: A comparative Study of Three Interdisciplinary Working Groups

   Fuqua, Juliana; Bargagliotti, Anna; Phillips, Jeffrey; Herreiner, Dorothea; DaSilva, Lauren (January 2018, Journal of research in stem education)

   There is a growing recognition of the need for interdisciplinarity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The purpose of the present study is to identify antecedents, processes, and outcomes of an interdisciplinary, collaborative conference and ongoing collaboration. The Breaking Boundaries in STEM education conference was developed with multiple goals, including fostering collaborative interdisciplinary scientific writing for publication among teacher-scholars who participated in one of three interdisciplinary working groups. One hundred teacher-scholars with interest in STEM education participated in the conference. A comparative study of three working groups from the conference was conducted using a triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods. Surveys and behavioral observations were completed at the conference, and phone interviews with attendees were conducted 3-4 months later. Groups varied in their readiness to collaborate. Several themes emerged that might explain why one group was highly productive, one group was moderately productive, and one group was not productive at completing publications after the conference. Groups with a narrower disciplinary span, stronger leadership presence, a paper champion, motivated leader, and a leader with a strong recent history of publishing on the topic, were more ready to collaborate, and they experienced faster, smoother completion of publications. Further research and more passage of time, such as a few years, is needed to determine the quantity, quality, span of disciplinarity, novelty, and generativity of the publications over time. The generalizability of these themes to other interdisciplinary collaborative studies is briefly discussed. 

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4. Imagining the future interdisciplinary scholar: Exploring interdisciplinary identity development using possible selves.

   Deters, J. R. (January 2021, Research in Engineering Education Symposium (REES) & Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference)

   CONTEXT This exploratory study focuses on an interdisciplinary graduate program in the United Statesthat brings students from science, engineering, technology, or mathematics (STEM)programs together with students in business, policy and governance, natural resources, and other fields to address disaster resilience and risk management. Given the complexity of interdisciplinary collaboration and the need to work across disciplinary boundaries it is increasingly important to develop interdisciplinary capacity in STEM graduate students. PURPOSE OR GOAL The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore how participants conceptualize a possible identity as an interdisciplinary scholar over time in order to characterize the structural and individual factors that might prevent one from developing an interdisciplinary identity. 

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5. Broadening the Pool of Precollege Engineering Teachers: The Path Experienced by a Music Teacher

   https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2022.3141984  

   Dalal, Medha; Carberry, Adam R.; Maxwell, Richard (February 2022, IEEE Transactions on Education)

   Contribution: This single case study represents a unique attempt to examine a music teacher's experiences as he took on the challenge of teaching a high school level engineering course. The study contributes to the growing body of research and conversations around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) versus non-STEM beliefs, perceptions, and practices in precollege education. This work informs future teacher professional development (PD) and hiring efforts to broaden the pool of teachers capable of teaching precollege engineering classes. Background: Engineering education is growing in precollege settings but recruiting willing and qualified teachers has been a continuous challenge. Teacher PD programs should consider a broader and inclusive approach that builds confidence and empowers teachers from all disciplinary backgrounds (STEM and non-STEM) to teach precollege engineering classes. Such opportunities are not always made available to non-STEM teachers. Research Questions: 1) How does a high school music teacher with a non-STEM background experience teaching an introductory engineering course? 2) What are the necessary preconditions that could help bridge non-STEM content areas to engineering, specifically for teacher PD efforts? 

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