The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering Practices
Teachers’ integration of the Next Generation Science Standards and corresponding Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) illustrate current science education reform in the United States. Effective teacher professional development (PD) on SEPs is essential for reform success. In this study, we evalu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/8/570 |
| _version_ | 1797410588024897536 |
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| author | Blake C. Colclasure Tessa Durham Brooks Tomáš Helikar Scott J. King Audrey Webb |
| author_facet | Blake C. Colclasure Tessa Durham Brooks Tomáš Helikar Scott J. King Audrey Webb |
| author_sort | Blake C. Colclasure |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Teachers’ integration of the Next Generation Science Standards and corresponding Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) illustrate current science education reform in the United States. Effective teacher professional development (PD) on SEPs is essential for reform success. In this study, we evaluated the Nebraska STEM Education Conference, a PD program for middle school, high school, and first- and second-year post-secondary STEM teachers. This SEP-oriented PD program focused predominantly on the SEPs ‘developing and using models’ and ‘using mathematics and computational thinking.’ An electronic survey was used to measure participants’ (<i>n</i> = 45) prior integration of SEPs, influential factors and barriers to using SEPs, and changes to interest and confidence in using SEPs as a result of attending the PD program. Our results showed that teachers had limited prior use of SEPs in their teaching. Student interest and learning outcomes were the factors found to be most influential to teachers’ use of SEPs, while limited knowledge, confidence, and resources were the most commonly identified barriers. As a result of attending the PD program, participants significantly improved their confidence and interest to incorporate SEPs. We recommend continued SEP-oriented PD to foster successful NGSS integration and to advance reforms in science education. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:32:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dd9f62c22be942bba46e26c9f336bd9c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:32:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-dd9f62c22be942bba46e26c9f336bd9c2023-12-03T13:34:00ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-08-0112857010.3390/educsci12080570The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering PracticesBlake C. Colclasure0Tessa Durham Brooks1Tomáš Helikar2Scott J. King3Audrey Webb4Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Doane University, Crete, NE 68333, USADepartment of Biology, Doane University, Crete, NE 68333, USADepartment of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USANorth Platte High School, North Platte Public School District, North Platte, NE 69101, USANebraska Department of Education, Lincoln, NE 68510, USATeachers’ integration of the Next Generation Science Standards and corresponding Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) illustrate current science education reform in the United States. Effective teacher professional development (PD) on SEPs is essential for reform success. In this study, we evaluated the Nebraska STEM Education Conference, a PD program for middle school, high school, and first- and second-year post-secondary STEM teachers. This SEP-oriented PD program focused predominantly on the SEPs ‘developing and using models’ and ‘using mathematics and computational thinking.’ An electronic survey was used to measure participants’ (<i>n</i> = 45) prior integration of SEPs, influential factors and barriers to using SEPs, and changes to interest and confidence in using SEPs as a result of attending the PD program. Our results showed that teachers had limited prior use of SEPs in their teaching. Student interest and learning outcomes were the factors found to be most influential to teachers’ use of SEPs, while limited knowledge, confidence, and resources were the most commonly identified barriers. As a result of attending the PD program, participants significantly improved their confidence and interest to incorporate SEPs. We recommend continued SEP-oriented PD to foster successful NGSS integration and to advance reforms in science education.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/8/570computational thinkingmodelingnext generation science standardsscience and engineering practicesteacher professional development |
| spellingShingle | Blake C. Colclasure Tessa Durham Brooks Tomáš Helikar Scott J. King Audrey Webb The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering Practices Education Sciences computational thinking modeling next generation science standards science and engineering practices teacher professional development |
| title | The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering Practices |
| title_full | The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering Practices |
| title_fullStr | The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering Practices |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering Practices |
| title_short | The Effects of a Modeling and Computational Thinking Professional Development Program on STEM Educators’ Perceptions toward Teaching Science and Engineering Practices |
| title_sort | effects of a modeling and computational thinking professional development program on stem educators perceptions toward teaching science and engineering practices |
| topic | computational thinking modeling next generation science standards science and engineering practices teacher professional development |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/8/570 |
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