New Perspectives in Science Education

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education has received increased attention globally (and in Ireland) in recent years, perhaps more so than Science Education. A consultation framework for a new Science, Technology & Engineering (STE) primary (elementary) curriculum was released in Ireland in 2024 [1]. Primary teachers in Ireland are generalists and teach a broad range of subjects. Previous research has identified teachers’ lack of confidence in teaching primary science [2].  Many may have limited understanding or experiences of integrated STEM education. Technology and engineering are both new subjects areas not previously expicitly outlined in the primary curriculum. Although many primary teachers  have experience of pedagogical approaches that support integrated project-based learning, this may leave limited time and space to meaningfully explore and assess disciplinary conceptual learning in science. Combining science with technology and engineering may  threaten the idenity and significance of science as a discipline.Teacher professional development and learning in science can create a foundation for meaningful professional development in STEM and thus increase teacher efficacy in both science and STEM education [3]. The STE curriculum has potential to  provide a gateway to science through a new lens for teachers and learners. Integrative and project-based pedagogies may provide a scaffold to teachers who lack confidence in teaching Science. The curriculum may support teachers and learners in developing self-efficacy in science through integrated STE. Science which may have previously been perceived as an elitist subject, may become more accessible for teachers and learners. This research seeks to explore how an integrated STE curriculum impacts on teachers’ and learners’self-efficacy in Science.