Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Pedagogical Approaches to STEM Education; Design and Technology

DAWNE IRVING-BELL

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding (ISBN)peer-review

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to gain an understanding of the impact personal narratives have in influencing the construction of pre-service design and technology teachers’ professional identity. Work presented explores how personal experiences impact on the personal development and pedagogical practices in relation to the subject they are training to teach. Drawing on their experience of learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects as pupils, this work explores the impact this has had upon the formation of their own self-identity as they train to become teachers of a STEM related subject discipline within secondary education in England.

To help ensure congruence between the ontological and epistemological position of the researcher, drawing upon the philosophical field of symbolic interactionism, the adopted research method is one that is informed by constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006, 2014).

Embracing an abductive methodology, which encourages the consideration of all possible theoretical outcomes, reasoning begins after scrutiny of the data, rather than forcing one to emerge through the process of data analysis. The approach also encompassed the notion of reflexivity, which helps to sensitize the researcher to issues within the data set and helps to support the construction of theory.

Following analysis, findings suggest that pre-service teachers’ personal narratives play a key role in the formation of their identity as teachers of design and technology. Emergent themes under discussion include participants’ emotion and personal disposition, their attitudes and approaches towards learning, and the role perceived deficiency in subject knowledge plays in limiting personal growth and the development of identity.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings PATT37
Subtitle of host publicationDeveloping a knowledge economy through technology and engineering education
EditorsSarah Pulé, Marc J. de Vries
Place of PublicationFirst published in Malta in 2019 by the Department of Technology and Entrepreneurship Education
PublisherUniversity of Malta
Pages221-233
Number of pages12
Volume1
Edition1
ISBN (Print)9 789995 714796
Publication statusPublished - 3 Jun 2019
EventPATT37 : Developing a knowledge economy through technology and engineering education - University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Duration: 3 Jun 20196 Jun 2019
https://www.um.edu.mt/events/patt2019

Conference

ConferencePATT37
Country/TerritoryMalta
CityMsida
Period3/06/196/06/19
Internet address

Keywords

  • STEM
  • design and technology education
  • teacher identity
  • subject knowledge gap
  • pedagogical approaches

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