New Perspectives in Science Education

            One important aspect of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is its role in helping to improve the well-being of individuals and society as a whole. Using cutting-edge research in global challenge areas such as sustainable energy and nanoscale science as a context for learning STEM concepts is an innovative way to make STEM relevant and interesting for students. In the rural U.S., many grand challenges are particularly relevant to students, as their families or neighbours may be directly involved in energy generation or agricultural production.

 As part of Purdue University’s Research Goes to School program funded by U.S. National Science Foundation, five cohorts of rural STEM teachers (39 in-service and 41 pre-service) participated in an intensive two-week workshop focused on advanced research in the global challenge area of biofuels and nanoscience. The workshop gave rural STEM teachers the time and support to develop biofuels or nanoscience lessons to increase the relevance of STEM subjects for rural students.

 Data were collected using the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) (Enochs and Riggs, 1990). The STEBI survey was administered to the teachers at the beginning and end of each workshop; Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients were 0.90 and 0.76 for Personal Science Teacher Efficacy (PSTE) and Science Teacher Outcome Expectancy (STOE) scores, respectively. Focus group interviews provided additional data about teachers’ changing self-efficacy in science teaching. Approximately seven months after the end of the workshop (after teachers had taught the cutting edge topic in their classroom), teachers were asked to complete an online survey about their educational backgrounds, teaching experiences, classroom experiences with teaching grand challenge topics, and the perceived impact of the two-week workshop.

            Results showed that the program enhanced participants’ beliefs that student learning can be influenced by effective teaching. Both pre-service and in-service teachers grew at the same rate in their PSTE and STOE from pre-survey to post-survey, however, pre-service teachers indicated higher PSTE and STOE in both pre-survey and post-survey. Participants expressed that the workshop enhanced their understanding of the applications of biofuels and nanoscience concepts to STEM subjects and gave them a renewed sense of purpose for teaching.