Building Up STEAM (Asynchronous Session)
Training Needs Assessment on the Application of Information Technology in Teaching: The Case of De La Salle University Dasmariñas View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Crispina Corpuz
This describes the training needs assessment of De La Salle University Dasmariñas (DLSUD) teachers based on their perception of Professional Development (PD) vis-à-vis the PD program of the school in terms of its activities and support services relevant to professional development. The research assumes that PD of teachers which includes training about ICT integration is essential to create a new learning environment responsive to the needs of the 21st-century learners. The study also involved examining the current knowledge of the respondents in terms of instruction and classroom management including their level of expertise in the use of technology applications and tools in teaching amid digital disruption. This study employed a qualitative research design and research participants were teachers from the seven colleges of DLSUD including the graduate schools, and senior high school. Frequency counts, ranking, weighted means, and ANOVA were the statistical tools used to determine the level of needs for the different categories identified. Findings show that there’s no significant difference among all departments/colleges when it comes to perceived need while when grouped according to years in the teaching profession and educational background, there’s a significant difference between the means of the group when one looks at the variables used for continuing education.
STEAM Teacher Training View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Enric Ortega Torres
In recent years, the presence of the acronym STEM has been increasing in the educational field. Although we are facing with a growing demand for STEM career skills, there are still low levels of interest in science and math. However, who has the responsibility to train future STEAM teachers? In this article we show the results of the research carried out with university students of primary education and master degree on teacher training (specialty in technology) from the realization of a seminar focused on the design of STEAM projects in two consecutive courses (18/19 and 19/20) and the analysis of the responses to two expressly designed questionnaires. Previous knowledge about STEM / STEAM and the predisposition of pre-service teachers towards the future design of projects based on the STEAM disciplines are compared. The results show differences between the previous knowledge and the perceptions of the future teachers and confirm the low prior knowledge with a slight tendency towards improvement when two consecutive courses are compared. The conclusions emphasize the need to integrate places for the training of STEAM teachers in the official curricula.
Ready to Engage? Urban Middle School Teachers’ Responsiveness to Targeted Engagement Interventions on Their Online Instructional Practices: An Action Research Study View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Svetlana Nikic
The main purposes of this study are: a) to investigate how urban middle school teachers’ instructional practices respond to targeted engagement intervention in a online environment; b) to find how specific intervention such as coaching cycles, instructional feedback, and professional development associate with improvement in teachers’ engagement practices; and c) find specific features of teachers’ instructional practices that are responsive to intervention. The premise of the study was that change in an instructional practice may vary in specific aspects and differ by various approaches relevant to the features of the intervention. Therefore, identifying these specifics as well as effective approaches to teacher professional learning are additional goals of this study. This study takes a systematic approach using current research to address intervention in teachers’ engagement practices by aligning professional development, coaching, and instructional feedback with the aim to improve teachers’ practices.
Sustainability Education in Action View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dr. Ray Wu Rorrer
This reflective presentation is a review of the culminating activities, experiences, and efforts of a handful of dedicated individuals within the Falls Church City Public School (FCCPS) system that has led to a marquee sustainability education program focused on food and water systems. Students learn and develop an appreciation for the basics of growing food and the importance of water in an urban area through applications in environmental science, design, technology, and engineering education settings. The study demonstrates how the team effectively integrates the United Nation's Global Goals for Sustainable Development into the Environmental Science (Environmental Pillar), Design/Engineering (Social Pillar), and Energy (Economic Pillar) programs in the school division's secondary schools (grades 6-12).
The Role of Curiosity in STEM Teacher Professional Development: Active or Passive
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Cheryl Lindeman
The aim of this study is to determine: To what extent are elementary teachers influenced by their curiosity when presented with professional development (PD) opportunities? Did the pandemic overshadow their curiosity about STEM teaching or strengthen their STEM skills? Elementary teachers who taught science and or mathematics within the last three years were invited to complete an online survey designed for participants to self-report their perceptions about stretching and embracing curiosity traits. The seventy-two respondents described their PD learning preferences and goals prior to the pandemic and planning for Fall 2020. Twenty percent of the respondents participated in post survey virtual focus groups. The focus group participants were invited to share their Spring 2021 reflections by responding to four of the original survey questions. The findings indicate that teachers who selected both curiosity traits were more likely to explore STEM professional development directly impacting their students rather than deeper self-knowledge. Teachers who did not self-report both curiosity traits selected only in school or preplanning PD. As we traverse through post pandemic teaching and learning, implications for future PD should include a curiosity mindset. Designers of STEM PD are encouraged to infuse inquiry learning with intentional curiosity experiences so teachers will be inspired to cultivate STEM curiosity with their students.
