New Perspectives in Science Education
STEM education: Future and current challenges for the preparation of STEM educators
Natalia Spyropoulou, Hellenic Open University (Greece)
Achilles Kameas, Hellenic Open University (Greece)
Abstract
Several studies have shown that the combined education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (collectively known as STEM) is fundamental in preparing knowledgeable and technology savvy individuals who will become active citizens. As a result, STEM education is receiving increased attention and interest in recent years and the interest in STEM design models is literally exploding across the education landscape, leading to curriculum reorganization through STEM initiatives. In these models, the role of teachers is one of the most important factors in ensuring excellence in STEM education. A STEM savvy educator needs to show both deep content knowledge in STEM subjects and mastery of all the required skills and competences to teach these subjects well. As a result, professional development of educators is critical for designing and implementing STEM education concepts and programs. In this paper, the current trends in Teachers Professional Development for STEM education are identified and a brief overview of the state-of-the-art is given. In addition, challenges and potential future areas of research are identified, proposing a research methodology, which aims to identify skills and competencies for STEM educators, while taking advantage of the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu).
Keywords: STEM education, teacher professional development, skills and competences, DigCompEdu;
References:
[1] Avery, Z. K., & Reeve, E. M. (2013). Developing effective STEM professional development programs. Journal of Technology Education, 25(1), 55-69.
[2] Nadelson, L. S., Callahan, J., Pyke, P., Hay, A., Dance, M., & Pfiester, J. (2013). Teacher STEM perception and preparation: Inquiry-based STEM professional development for elementary teachers. The Journal of Educational Research, 106(2), 157-168.
[3] Redecker, C. (2017). European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators: DigCompEdu. Punie, Y. (ed). EUR 28775 EN. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, ISBN 978-92-79-73494-6, doi:10.2760/159770, JRC107466
